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Lonzo Ball arrived in training camp with some revamped mechanics on his jump shot, looking a lot more fluid and, quite sincerely, like he belongs in the NBA with a solid stroke.
While the New Orleans Pelicans' recent acquisition was merely taking open jumpers at the team's practice facility, the signs of the repetition from all six of his shots were really encouraging. If he can keep this up through the season, he could soon break out and have the campaign many expected from him since coming out of UCLA as one of the most highly touted prospects:
@akennedy41 👀 Whoever tweaked this man’s shot into this beauty over one summer deserves a raise #paythatman
— Bruno Manrique (@TheSportsLede) October 1, 2019
9 in a row for @ZO2_. #WBD pic.twitter.com/tf3DakQ9B6
— Daniel Sallerson (@dsallerson) October 2, 2019
Taking a quick look at these videos, his form holds the same and is replicated after each and every jumper, a sign that muscle memory has kicked in and he has learned to depend on those mechanics.
Ball talked about what he has been working on with regards to his jumper:
Lonzo Ball says he worked all summer in adjusting his shot and moving it over to the right. He says it's still a work in progress but he's come a long way.
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) October 2, 2019
Now let's wait this out — this is him merely taking shots off the catch, without a defender, without any real pressure, and without the need to adjust. A lot more work needs to be done to keep the No. 2 overall pick from his old habits.
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For those who watched him with the Lakers, Lonzo never really pulled up for a contested jumper, rather choosing to gain separation or pass the ball out to a teammate. His release point was simply too low and even at 6-foot-6, he was asking to get his shot blocked if he dared to pull up close to a defender.
Assuming he has been able to add shots off the move in the form of pull-ups, fadeaways to either side of his body, and one-dribble moves to create separation — all which take time to fully master — Lonzo stands to benefit from these changes if he doesn't revert to bad habits. It should then start to reflect on his field goal percentage efficiency right away.
Ball may not get the chance to post close to triple-double numbers with the likes of Zion Williamson, Jahlil Okafor, and Jaxson Hayes patrolling the paint, but he could see a dramatic increase in his 3-point percentage after averaging a mere 31.5% during his first two seasons.
The biggest change, however, will have to come at the free-throw line, where he shot a disastrous 41.7% last season. Ball has been hesitant to seek contact since coming into the league, and that's because he was aware of his shooting woes.
If he can tune into a 70% clip or better from the stripe, there's no reason why he can't put up an 18-7-9 season and finally burst out of the rut he has been in since coming into the league. His ability to make open shots will open up a lot for his game, including the potential to set up other shooters on his team.
Let's remember is only one video, but if he has indeed put in the work to fix his previously broken jumper, the Pelicans are in for a great surprise.
