Since being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the second overall pick in this year's draft, rookie point guard Lonzo Ball has immediately stepped into the picture as possibly the next player to become the face of the franchise after Kobe Bryant, but would he take him over Cleveland Cavs star LeBron James?

When pressed about who he believed was better between Bryant and Cavaliers James, the 19-year-old stuck with his belief that James is the better of the two sure-fire Hall of Famers.

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Keep in mind, Ball grew up idolizing the four-time league MVP given most of his childhood was spent being able to watch James' career unfold. He had also recently called James the Michael Jordan of his generation. It's no shot at the type of player Bryant was by any means, but only paints a clearer picture of the strong admiration he has for the Cavs' star forward.

What also makes Ball's answer intriguing at this point in time is that he could potentially play with James next season if he were to opt out of his contract, become a free agent, and choose L.A. He has already made a public pitch for the three-time NBA champion to join during an interview on ESPN earlier this summer.

That said, this will largely be dependent on how things unfold with both the Cavaliers and Lakers in the 2017-18 season. If Los Angeles shows much promise to develop something special while Cleveland fails to get over the hump once again against the Golden State Warriors, it could very well pave the way to James taking his talents to the Lakers.