Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball’s early struggles mirror
NBA fans are giving Los Angeles Lakers’ rookie PG Lonzo Ball a hard time for his shooting woes and struggles, but forgetting that we once gave a pass to Jason Kidd.
If we remember correctly, both Gary Payton and to a more extent Jason Kidd struggled with their shot early in their careers but managed to still churn out Hall of Fame careers.
But, here’s the thing when focusing on both Kidd and Ball. While highly talented coming out of college, neither was ever seen as a perimeter player. Yes, Ball loves to shoot with that very awkward looking release but he’s no Reggie Miller.
Kidd, much like Ball, in his rookie season took an above average of 3-pointers (3.3) for a player not known for knocking them down. Why is that? Why do non-shooters enter the NBA and all of a sudden believe they can become the next Craig Hodges?
Kidd shot a dismal .272 percent from beyond the arc in 1994 and Ball is trying his best to get below that number by shooting .250 percent. But, while both players struggled from long distance, they shined in other areas.
| Player | Season | Age | G | MP | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lonzo Ball | 2017-18 | 20 | 20 | 32.9 | 11.2 | .309 | 4.9 | .245 | .363 | .429 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 8.7 |
| Jason Kidd | 1994-95 | 21 | 79 | 33.8 | 10.8 | .385 | 3.3 | .272 | .426 | .698 | 5.4 | 7.7 | 1.9 | 11.7 |
| Gary Payton* | 1990-91 | 22 | 82 | 27.4 | 7.0 | .450 | 0.2 | .077 | .451 | .711 | 3.0 | 6.4 | 2.0 | 7.2 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/29/2017.
Kidd was known as the player most likely to get a triple-double each time he stepped on the court. While his shooting was awful, he still found ways to get to the rim, rebound, and make the best decisions with the ball in terms of finding open teammates. Ball is the same. His shooting is awful but he can rebound like a power forward and still make the dime pass when needed.
Is Lonzo Ball the next Jason Kidd?
What also makes their rookie seasons comparable is the talent surrounding them. Kidd came into the league with a young Dallas Mavericks squad that featured Jamal Mashburn and Jimmy Jackson. Their goal in the Dick Motta’s offense was to score and score fast. While Kidd did take too many perimeter shots, that’s what Motta’s offense called for.
Ball is surrounded by a young Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., and Julius Randle. While he’s struggling now, all Ball has to do is look what Kidd did after his rookie year.
In the years following that awful shooting season in 1994, the guy known as “Ason,” because he had no J, went on to become one the NBA all-time leader in 3-pointers made with 1,988 (8th). No one saw that coming from a .272 percent shooter in his first year. But, that’s what Ball has to look forward to. A rookie year is just that, a year to learn and adjust.
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Kidd went on to average 11.7 points, 7.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in his first year. Ball has put up numbers that resemble the Hall of Fame player with 9 points, 7.1 assists, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals.
So, with all the heat that Ball is taking, he’s actually in a great spot moving forward. Jason Kidd became one of the best to ever play the game and despite the struggles; Lonzo Ball is right on course.