What we learned from the Lonzo Ball Show in Las Vegas

ByOHM YOUNGMISUK
July 18, 2017, 9:26 PM

— -- LAS VEGAS -- Jason Kidd has heard the comparisons of Lonzo Ball to himself many times since Ball began to shine at UCLA last season.

Some even think that Ball looks a bit like Kidd when he came out as a highly acclaimed pass-first point guard and the No. 2 overall pick out of Cal in the 1994 draft.

"Yeah, I've heard that a lot," Kidd said last week at the Las Vegas Summer League. "And the more I have been in Vegas, that is all I have heard."

While that's up for debate, some longtime NBA executives and coaches do see Kidd-like traits in Ball's game. From the flashy pinpoint passing, uncanny floor vision and ability to see plays develop in advance to the unflappable demeanor right down to the much-maligned jump shot, Ball reminds some of the current Milwaukee Bucks head coach.

"I thought he was as advertised," said one longtime Eastern Conference talent evaluator, who needed to see Ball only twice to be sold on the Lakers rookie. "Elite facilitator/passer, makes everyone better. If you just do what you're supposed to do, he will get you the ball right on time. He's pretty incredible. No disappointment on my part. ... The guy is special.

"He reminds me of J-Kidd."

ESPN spoke to general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches, scouts/talent evaluators and former players at the Las Vegas Summer League to ask them what they learned about Ball, who was named the Most Valuable Player of summer league play ahead of Monday's championship game. Here's their breakdown of Magic Johnson's point guard prot?g?, where he excels, where he can improve and what he will face:

Pass-first/vision

It took Ball less than 30 seconds into his first summer league action to deliver his first highlight: an alley-oop pass to the Lakers' second overall pick from a year ago, Brandon Ingram.

In six games, Ball averaged 16.3 points, a summer league-leading 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. The 19-year-old rookie recorded two triple-doubles and four games with 10 assists or more. No other rookie in Las Vegas Summer League history has had more than one game with 10 assists, and no other rookie has ever had a triple-double here, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The way Ball delivered some of those assists had Lakers fans in the stands and even Magic standing up and applauding at times. Lakers summer league coach Jud Buechler, a three-time NBA champion who played for 12 years, proclaimed that "[Ball] is already one of the best passers I've seen at this level" -- this after the point guard played only his third game in Vegas.

Of course, Buechler had just watched Ball explode for 36 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks to go with 6 turnovers in that game, a one-point win over Philadelphia -- the only team that passed over him in the 2017 NBA draft.

"Special talent, great vision, outstanding competitor, NBA-ready," said ESPN analyst Mark Jackson, who is fourth all time on the assists list (10,334). "His passing ability is contagious."

"A home run pick for Magic, Rob [Pelinka] and the Lakers organization."

Ball's passing and pass-first mentality were "as advertised," as one talent evaluator put it. The Lakers point guard constantly looked to push the ball immediately up court after a rebound.

There were multiple occasions when Ball would either grab a rebound or catch an outlet pass and, in the same motion, fire a bomb sometimes the length of the court. And his passes almost always hit the target, some sailing right over defenders frantically sprinting back trying to cover a streaking Lakers player or over the outstretched arms of a defender and into a teammate's hands for a dunk or layup.