UCLA basketball 2017 report card: Lonzo Ball

Lonzo Ball may prove himself to be a once-in-a-generation player. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Strengths: Lonzo Ball should be flattered by the Jason Kidd comparisons, but UCLA’s point guard more than justified them by leading the NCAA in assists and surpassing Kidd’s best single-season total at Cal. Passing ability is where comparisons between the two end. Ball doesn’t just have otherworldly vision, he shoots a high percentage, stands two inches taller than Kidd and possesses the athleticism to play above the rim. Even as dynamic as Ball proved himself to be, his passing ability was clearly his best attribute. It was so exceptional, coupled with his unselfish attitude, Ball infected the rest of UCLA’s roster with a team-first approach not often found at any level of basketball in this era.

Weaknesses: Deep into the season after Ball had been thoroughly scouted, he mounted what looked like a concerted effort to dispatch the notion he didn’t have a mid-range game. But even by season’s end, only 7.6 percent of his shot attempts weren’t at the rim or beyond the 3-point line, according to hoop-math.com. Ball shot just 26 jumpers inside the arc and made 12 of them – in 36 games. Pretty alarming numbers on the surface for a player with unconventional shooting form that doesn’t particularly lend itself to a pull-up jumper. Ball filled a stat sheet like nobody else in college basketball, but mid-range shooting is a hole in an otherwise comprehensive resume.

Best moment: UCLA appeared well on its way to being more hype than substance after dropping its first conference meetings with Oregon, Arizona and USC following a soft non-conference schedule. Then Lonzo Ball hit his most meaningful 30-foot 3-pointer – there were plenty to choose from – of the season. His deep 3 with 32 seconds left sealed UCLA’s 82-79 win over then-No. 5 Oregon on Feb. 9. The victory wasn’t as impressive as wins at Kentucky and at Arizona, but the timing was what made Ball’s shot and the resulting win so special. losing to Oregon in Pauley Pavilion could have crippled a fading Bruins team. Instead, it galvanized them for a nine-game winning streak to end the regular season.

Worst moment: Whether or not it was aided by an injured hamstring, Ball had one of his worst performances of the season at the worst time. Even more detrimental than his pedestrian offensive numbers in UCLA’s season-ending loss to Kentucky, Ball allowed his counterpart to set a freshman record for points in an NCAA tournament game. De’Aaron Fox scored 39 points with Ball serving as his primary defender and Ball managed just 10 points with three rebounds, eight assists and four turnovers. He was 4 of 10 from the field and 1 of 6 from 3-point range, but Ball’s individual numbers were just part of his disappointing showing. UCLA relies so heavily on him to dictate the pace of a game, his uncharacteristically low-energy performance had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the team.

Summary: Ball is truly a transcendent player whose game is so sophisticated, it probably can’t be fully appreciated by anyone who doesn’t study game tape. His talent combined with unselfishness unprecedented in an era where the pass-first point guard has become an endangered species altered the attitude of every last member of UCLA’s roster. Ball mixed a humble demeanor with understated leadership to earn the respect of his teammates and even had coach Steve Alford asking him for advice by the end of the season. Ball showed he was human on a few occasions, including UCLA’s season-ending loss in the Sweet 16, leading to a disappointing end for the short college basketball career of a player who appeared capable of leading UCLA to a national championship.

Grade: A

Future outlook: It was apparent from the outset that Ball would only spend one season at UCLA and it didn’t take long to understand why he is projected as the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Ball flipped a largely similar UCLA roster from a 15-17 team to a 31-5 squad that was the most exciting show in college basketball. He has much to prove at the next level, but Ball appears to be a player who could have the same transformative effect on an NBA franchise.