Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton wants his team to play fast, and he made Lonzo Ball understand it earlier this month. Fortunately, it looks like the new rookie in Tinseltown is adapting well and living up to his expectations.
The 37-year-old coach recently described his team's first scrimmage as “pretty gross” and “sloppy.” However, after almost a week of training, Walton has seen some positives from his side, particularly from Ball, to whom he has nothing but high praises.
“It's almost as if the game is moving a little bit slower to him than it is other players. We're asking everyone to play fast fast fast, and he's out there just making simple passes and when guys are open ahead he's putting it on their hands,” Walton said, via Drew Garrison of Silver Screen & Roll.
A few days to prepare his team for the NBA preseason might not be enough time for Walton to ingrain the style he wants to play. Nonetheless, it's definitely a good sign that Lonzo Ball is adjusting tremendously, as he is likely to lead and dictate the team's offense.
The 19-year-old UCLA product still has some work to do when it comes to his physicality and other aspects of the game on the pro level. Though, pace is certainly not one of it, which is something the Lakers and their fans will be happy about considering that most rookies struggle to adjust to the speed of the NBA game.
It remains to be seen if Lonzo Ball's exploits will translate in an actual game in the league, but he will have a chance to show it, and perhaps strike ‘fear' on the opponents, when they open the preseason this weekend.
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