Incoming freshman Lonzo Ball will make an immediate impact on UCLA men’s basketball. (Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

ESPN calls UCLA commit and incoming freshman Lonzo Ball “the first player of a new age” in college basketball. But Eamonn Brennan also wonders if the dynamic Chino Hills point guard with range out to the parking lot can inject some fun into UCLA men’s basketball this season.

Perhaps the more important question is if head coach Steve Alford will let Ball bring some fun back. As explained in this great story from The Ringer (which I have shared previously), Ball is a product of an unorthodox basketball upbringing, brought up under his father LaVar’s unique system of “the only bad shot is the one you don’t practice.” We’ll see how much Alford buys into that way of playing.

Other links:

• Paul Perkins got his degree and can finally join the New York Giants for minicamp.
• Kenny Clark shares his experience from being on campus during the June 1 shooting.
• ESPN has five UCLA players who could get drafted in 2017.
• SB Nation believes in Josh Rosen‘s ability to command the new pro-style offense as a sophomore.
• Released last week on Twitter, Rosen is on the Pac-12 cover for Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. He’s joined by Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, Washington’s Budda Baker and USC’s Adoree’ Jackson.

Here is my Pac 12 cover for the 2016 College Football Preview pic.twitter.com/6OdFOmXa6w

— Phil Steele (@philsteele042) June 9, 2016