Los Angeles Lakers incoming sophomore Lonzo Ball is doing his best to impress team general manager Magic Johnson. His latest attempt to further establish himself on his boss' good graces comes in the form of recreating the iconic mid-range running skyhook made famous by none other than Johnson himself.
In the clip that is making its rounds on social media, Ball is seen emulating Johnson's famous move to perfection. Given his excellent form, this should put a smile on his GM's face. As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery.
There are some who believe that Ball's all-around game has some similarities to that of Johnson. However, after a rookie campaign that was probably not as good as advertised (especially in comparison to Johnson's impact as a rookie), Ball still has quite a long way to go.
Last season, the second overall pick averaged 10.2 points on 36.0% shooting, 1.7 three-pointers, 6.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.6 turnovers. These are actually pretty impressive all-around numbers, but it still pales in comparison to that of Johnson.
As a rookie, the Hall of Famer took the league by storm and put up 18.0 points on 53.0% shooting, 0.1 three-pointers (Johnson was never known to be a three-point shooter) 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 2.4 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 4.0 turnovers per contest.
Nonetheless, Ball still appears to be on the right track. Johnson is surely more than willing to give Ball the helping hand he needs to reach his full potential, so he has that going for him.