Contrary to popular opinion, Lonzo Ball was drafted high in this year’s NBA Draft largely because of his basketball talents and not mainly due to LaVar Ball’s insistence that his first-born is a can’t-miss prospect.

So far, Lonzo is having a topsy-turvy rookie season with plenty of people not particularly happy with the way the UCLA product has been playing. But from time to time, Lonzo will let people see the basketball smarts that left several college and NBA scouts salivating in the past.

Just take for example this heads-up play from Ball, who showed great court awareness by making an assist to teammate Julius Randle after catching the entire Golden State Warriors team napping on one play during one particular segment of Wednesday’s game at Staples Center.

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That kind of defense, by the way, was unbecoming for a reigning and defending NBA champions. There's no way the Warriors should've turned their backs even on a dead-ball situation.

Although Ball is sporting an ugly 30.9 percent shooting from the field this season and has taken flak because of it, he still is showing deftness in other areas of the game. Ball is averaging just 8.7 points per game but is making 7.1 assists and pulling down 7.3 rebounds per contest entering the game against the Warriors.