Los Angeles Lakers second-year starting point guard Lonzo Ball drew praise from Lakers center Tyson Chandler early in the year when the veteran big man and former Defensive Player of the Year said he was really impressed with Ball's defense.

Turns out, Chandler wasn't just talking off the cuff, as the stats are showing that Lonzo Ball is in fact an elite defensive player. According to Unique Sports, Lonzo Ball is holding opposing point guards to just 32.55 percent shooting from the field over the first 27 games of the season.

https://twitter.com/UniqueSportplus/status/1072371038124732416

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Lonzo Ball is 6-foot-6. For a point guard, that’s pretty tall. The former No. 2 overall pick is averaging 1.4 steals per game this season and has tremendous lateral foot quickness, which allows him to stay in front of all these quick guards. His offense is still a work in progress, but Ball is definitely on his way to making an All-Defensive team this year.

Ball is averaging 8.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this year while shooting 38.3 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from beyond the arc and 56.6 percent from the free-throw line. After getting off to a slow start, the Lakers are now 17-10, fifth place in the rugged Western Conference.

Rajon Rondo is still out of the lineup, as the veteran point guard is recovering from right hand surgery. Lonzo Ball is showing that he can handle the load, both on offense and defense.