Lonzo Ball has officially closed the book on his sophomore season with the Los Angeles Lakers after confirming the training staff has shut him down on Saturday.

Statistically, Ball improved very little from his disappointing first year to his second year, and he even digressed in a few areas. However, the one thing that has been consistent through his first two seasons in the NBA is his stout defense.

Last season, Ball ranked third among point guards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus. This season, he’s expected to finish in the top-10 once again with a +1.30 DRPM.

His immediate impact on the defensive end has come as a surprise to many, including a few people around the league. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report spoke to a Western Conference executive that didn’t expect Ball to be as good as he’s been defensively.

“He’s an impact player on that side of the ball,” a Western Conference executive said. “I’m surprised he’s that good defensively. Coming out of UCLA, that was a question.”

In the executive’s defense, very few people projected Ball to be the defensive stalwart he’s blossoming into.

Standing at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, Ball had all the physical tools to be a good defender at the next level, but there were legitimate questions about how disciplined he was on that end. At Chino Hills, where he played high school basketball, defense was optional and it wasn’t much of a priority for him at UCLA either.

To Ball’s credit, he put those concerns to rest basically upon arrival. Not only does he have good instincts on the defensive end, but his footwork on that end is fundamentally sound. Even if his jump shot never comes around, he’ll always be able to hang his hat on his defense and elite playmaking.

Still, it would benefit Ball to try and develop some semblance of a reliable offensive weapon this offseason. His 3-point shooting improved this season, but he still has a long way to go. The same can be said of his ability and willingness to attack the rim.

If Ball can use the summer to address the glaring holes in his game, he’ll have the opportunity to be an elite two-way guard in the NBA for years to come.

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