Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball was labeled by LeBron James as an X-factor for the team’s season.
Ball played with James for a season when he was on the Lakers before he was shipped out to New Orleans in the Anthony Davis trade.
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James is known for appreciating the mental and cerebral side of basketball, praising players who read the game at a high level.
Ball, since coming into the NBA from UCLA, is one of the best minds on the basketball court, possessing the vision and unselfishness that James also prides himself on.
The Cavs traded away Isaac Okoro, the franchise’s former No. 5 overall pick, for Ball, a guard whose trade value has plummeted over the years due to injuries.
Ball has missed a ton of action due to knee problems, which required multiple procedures and put his playing career in doubt for some time.
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Last season, he managed to return to the court and showed he could play, although some of his explosiveness was gone.
Cleveland believes the former Chino Hills High School player can look like his former self around better players, something LeBron James is also interested in seeing play out.
“How much are they going to get out of Lonzo Ball?,” James pondered during a season preview episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast.
“I thought that was a great pickup, you know, great point guard, great mind, big, long, defends at a high level. I thought he played well. That was a hell of a pickup for them.”
At his best, Ball can defend at a high level, enhancing a team’s defense by creating turnovers and displaying a high IQ, which helps him execute his rotations effectively.
Offensively, he can playmake for others and create easy looks in transition. His half-court offense is a bit limited, but since he will have Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell around him, there will be less of a burden for him to create.
Ball could be poised for a breakout season, and James will undoubtedly be watching.
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