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Honestly I called this way back in the day. Even in his high school highlights, he didn't blow me away or anything.
He's a decent passer and defender, but his scoring is way too bad for him to be a starter (11ppg career average on 39/35/60 splits).
Lamelo would be really good if he actually had a brain.
Rather have lonzo than beavis
[QUOTE=StrongLurk;15046281]Honestly I called this way back in the day. Even in his high school highlights, he didn't blow me away or anything.
He's a decent passer and defender, but his scoring is way too bad for him to be a starter (11ppg career average on 39/35/60 splits).
Lamelo would be really good if he actually had a brain.[/QUOTE]
lamelo is a product of social media, so naturally he will be brainless. it would not surprise me if he uses the words "no cap", breathes through his mouth and is illiterate.
He's had a bunch of injuries though hasn't he?
I feel like if that didn't happen and he was at his best he'd be a very solid player. Like a taller Rondo type.
Scared to take it to the rim because of poor FT shooting. So, Rondo-like in that aspect. Maybe things would've developed differently if he had been the [I]38.1% 3PT on 6.9 3pa/g & 69.7% FT on 1.0 fta/g[/I] that he was between 2020-2025 from the beginning.
He led the PAC-12 in TS% (67.3%), 2PT% (73.2% on 4.1 2pa/g), and shot 41.2% 3PT on 5.4 3pa/g and 67.3% FT on 2.7 fta/g (28.6 FTr).
He didn't have to shoot 70% on his 2PT FGs in the NBA, but you'd have hoped he could've leveraged his three-ball to score inside better. Like, 55% with some FTs would've been nice. More like a Giddey or Haliburton. But it seems like his poor start shellshocked him into accepting a lower-stress role of a 3 & D guy.
So, basically, he ended up being a taller, better three-point shooting Rondo. Clearly an impactful player, but his potential shown in college should've had him become something like a Jason Kidd-lite, but with better three-point shooting. Or Tyrese Haliburton with worse offense but better defense.
College highlight reel: [url]https://streamable.com/xdjhvv[/url]
[QUOTE=Im Still Ballin;15046293]College highlight reel: [url]https://streamable.com/xdjhvv[/url][/QUOTE]
that hook shot is so ugly. i always liked that he could play D though, seemingly becoming a rare thing amongst PGs
OP knew he'd get serious injuries that would derail his career?
[QUOTE=Im Still Ballin;15046291]Scared to take it to the rim because of poor FT shooting. So, Rondo-like in that aspect. Maybe things would've developed differently if he had been the [I]38.1% 3PT on 6.9 3pa/g & 69.7% FT on 1.0 fta/g[/I] that he was between 2020-2025 from the beginning.
He led the PAC-12 in TS% (67.3%), 2PT% (73.2% on 4.1 2pa/g), and shot 41.2% 3PT on 5.4 3pa/g and 67.3% FT on 2.7 fta/g (28.6 FTr).
He didn't have to shoot 70% on his 2PT FGs in the NBA, but you'd have hoped he could've leveraged his three-ball to score inside better. Like, 55% with some FTs would've been nice. More like a Giddey or Haliburton. But it seems like his poor start shellshocked him into accepting a lower-stress role of a 3 & D guy.[/QUOTE]
Couldnt make a lay up like rubio last i saw so might not just be his ft %
[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You;15046298]Couldnt make a lay up like rubio last i saw so might not just be his ft %[/QUOTE]
Just checked his drive FG% from 2018-2022, and yeah, it wasn't pretty. Like, 33-35% on 1-2 FGAs/g. Crazy how he went from such a high 2PT% at UCLA to that.
Bro the taller Rondo comparisons are not accurate at all. WTF?
Rondo's creation and passing ability was far superior to Lonzo...same with Rondo's scoring to be honest.
A Ricky Rubio comparison is probably more accurate. Lonzo was simply a limited player form a skill set perspective and athletic perspective. He was basically a below average, back up PG.
[QUOTE=ImKobe;15046296]OP knew he'd get serious injuries that would derail his career?[/QUOTE]
He was never good before injuries so...and yes injuries do factor into a "bust" label. Just look at Zion who is a far better on-court player than Lonzo. Zion is getting Bust labels too.
[QUOTE=StrongLurk;15046306]He was never good before injuries so...and yes injuries do factor into a "bust" label. Just look at Zion who is a far better on-court player than Lonzo. Zion is getting Bust labels too.[/QUOTE]
Yes he was. Zo's an elite defender and an elite playmaker and he developed into a reliable volume 3PT shooter. Without the injuries he's easily a starter on a title contender which is far from being a bust. He had his struggles in his early career but his last 2 years leading up to injury he developed into a good 2-way player.
Career-wise he's a bust sure, but saying he was never good means you have no idea what you're talking about.
[QUOTE=ImKobe;15046308]Yes he was. Zo's an elite defender and an elite playmaker and he developed into a reliable volume 3PT shooter. Without the injuries he's easily a starter on a title contender which is far from being a bust. He had his struggles in his early career but his last 2 years leading up to injury he developed into a good 2-way player.
Career-wise he's a bust sure, but saying he was never good means you have no idea what you're talking about.[/QUOTE]
Bro he was a number 2 pick. Sure he was a good defender and a reliable 3 point shooter, but he still lacked a lot. Saying he was an elite playmaker is a joke lol. Complete hyperbole dude.
When I say he was never good, I mean he would never even be a fringe all-star type of guy. He is mostly a good BACKUP PG, which is not much for a number 2 pick.
His defense was legit. His shooting motion was too unorthodox to ever be super consistent, but he did have natural passing skills and athleticism. At his peak he could have been an equal to/slightly poorer man's Jrue, but injuries derailed his potential.
If you look at how he played in his last season with the Pelicans and the first season in Chicago, that was a short glimmer of what I estimate was 85% of his potential. He would have likely been a 17 PPG, 7 AST on 43/37/78 splits with good defense. That would have been good enough to not be considered a bust. No, it's still not a franchise player which many hope for from the top 2 picks, but good enough to not be having this discussion.
For example, nobody flames Tyson Chandler for not being able to reach a franchise player caliber after all.
[QUOTE=StrongLurk;15046309]Bro he was a number 2 pick. Sure he was a good defender and a reliable 3 point shooter, but he still lacked a lot. Saying he was an elite playmaker is a joke lol. Complete hyperbole dude.
When I say he was never good, I mean he would never even be a fringe all-star type of guy. He is mostly a good BACKUP PG, which is not much for a number 2 pick.[/QUOTE]
So what? So many #2s don't pan out at all. He was not just a back-up PG, he played ~35 mpg on a Bulls team that was 22 - 13 with him as a STARTING PG.
He was an elite playmaker, that was his best attribute on offense. Even as a rookie when he had nothing else going for him, passing was the one thing he did at an elite level.
I checked the numbers, and his pull-up three never really translated. The only year it was falling was 2021-22 (41.3% on 1.8 3pa/g), which was the Chicago season. Shame. Also did 39.5% on 1.2 3pa/g across 35 games last season. He really needed it falling like Haliburton to unlock more.
[QUOTE=ImKobe;15046296]OP knew he'd get serious injuries that would derail his career?[/QUOTE]
He knew Jokic was going to be great in 2023, he knows what he’s talking about.
[QUOTE=SouBeachTalents;15046318]He knew Jokic was going to be great in 2023, he knows what he’s talking about.[/QUOTE]
Haha you constantly misrepresent what I say there. I didn't say Jokic was going to great in a general sense. I was claiming that he was going to win a ring/FMVP that year (which he literally did) and officially be a GOAT-level player (aka top 10 all time). Those are very specific claims that no one else was making at the time.
[QUOTE=SouBeachTalents;15046318]He knew Jokic was going to be great in 2023, he knows what he’s talking about.[/QUOTE]
:oldlol:
I always had the impression that the Lakers taking him had nothing to do with his ability as a player, as they were far better players in that draft. Or maybe they hoped that he would develop a jumpshot and become a good player on offense, just to go on with his passing, rebounding and defense. He is a bust, nevertheless. And the comparisons with Rondo are just dumb takes lol Rondo was a player that won two rings, was an All-Star, etc. He had a way more accomplished career.
I think Magic did that because he saw a big point guard with Cali roots that badly wanted to be a Laker. But to be fair everyone thought Ball would be great. He or his dad told the Celtics not to draft him and refused a workout. Had they not taken that stance he might have been drafted even higher.