Where UCLA figures land on SCNG’s 50 Most Powerful in SoCal Sports

Clockwise from top left: UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, point guard Lonzo Ball, football head coach Jim Mora and athletic director Dan Guerrero were all named to the SCNG’s list of 50 Most Powerful in SoCal Sports. (Photos by Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star-News, Ethan Miller/Getty Images, Brittany Murray/Daily Breeze, and Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

With new football and basketball facilities opening on campus this year, athletic director Dan Guerrero moved up one spot in the Southern California New Group’s list of the 50 Most Powerful in SoCal Sports. Guerrero, ranked 23rd this year, leads a group of UCLA figures on the annual list.

Others with UCLA ties:

See the full list here

Lonzo Ball named NBA Summer League MVP as Lakers win championship

The Lakers’ Lonzo Ball, center, celebrates with teammate Kyle Kuzma, right, after the Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 110-98 in an NBA summer league championship basketball game, Monday, July 17, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Lonzo Ball didn’t play in the Lakers’ 110-98 NBA Summer League championship win over the Portland Trailblazers, but the former UCLA point guard still claimed league MVP honors Monday in Las Vegas.

Ball was held out due to a calf injury Monday, but averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in his six games. Travis Wear, another former Bruin, also helped the Lakers to their summer league championship.

More from the OC Register’s Bill Oram on the championship game

UCLA basketball links: Bruins in the NBA Summer League

Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball shoots over Los Angeles Clippers’ Brice Johnson (10) during overtime of an NBA summer league basketball game, Friday, July 7, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) ORG XMIT: NVJL117

Lonzo Ball‘s much-anticipated NBA Summer League debut for the Lakers started with a bang: an alley-oop pass to Brandon Ingram on the team’s very first possession.

The former UCLA Bruin’s night ended with his father LaVar Ball saying Lonzo did “the worst you can do,” after Ball was 2 for 15 shooting in the Lakers’ 96-93 overtime loss to the Clippers in Las Vegas on Friday.

Despite struggling with his shot, Ball still made an impact with five assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block.

More on Ball’s Summer League debut

Other links:

  • TJ Leaf was one of NBA.com’s 10 standouts from the Orlando Summer League with the Indiana Pacers. He played in three of the Pacers’ five games, averaging 12.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
    • Fellow Pacers draft pick Ike Anigbogu did not participate in any summer league games due to a knee injury, according to the Indianapolis Star.
    • Undrafted guard Isaac Hamilton averaged 5.3 points and one rebound in three summer league games with the Pacers.
  • From the Albuquerque Journal: Bryce Alford, who landed with the Golden State Warriors after going undrafted, will stick to what he knows best: shooting. The Warriors start their summer league schedule Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN against the Philadelphia 76ers in Las Vegas.
  • Jonah Bolden, who attended UCLA for one year before going to Europe to turn pro, played in three game with the 76ers in the Utah Summer League, averaging 10 points and 5.3 rebounds. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about Bolden’s defensive versatility after he had a team-high four blocks in his debut. His team will continue summer league play in Las Vegas.

NBA Draft links: Lonzo Ball favorite to win Rookie of the Year

Lonzo Ball is the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year next season. (Frank Franklin II/AP)

Despite competition including two No. 1 overall picks, former UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball has the best odds to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award next season.

The No. 2 overall pick of the Lakers at Thursday’s NBA draft was given 5/2 odds to win the award by oddsmaker Bovada. Ben Simmons, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick who missed all of last season due to injury, has 3/1 odds and is followed by 76ers teammate Markelle Fultz, the 2017 No. 1 overall pick at 5/1 odds.

2017-2018 NBA Rookie of the Year – Odds to Win
Lonzo Ball, Lakers (UCLA) – 5/2
Ben Simmons, 76ers (LSU) – 3/1
Markelle Fultz, 76ers (Washington) – 5/1
De’Aaron Fox, Kings (Kentucky) – 7/1
Josh Jackson, Suns (Kansas) – 9/1
Jayson Tatum, Celtics (Duke) – 9/1
Jonathan Isaac, Magic (Florida State) – 16/1
Malik Monk, Hornets (Kentucky) – 16/1
Dennis Smith, Mavericks (NC State) – 16/1

NBA Draft Links:

Lonzo Ball UCLA’s highest NBA draft pick since 1979


It no longer has to be spoken into existence. Lonzo Ball has been drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anticipation that has been building since Ball’s banner season at UCLA – and spiked when NBA draft lottery netted the Lakers the No. 2 pick – finally delivered.

After the Philadelphia 76ers selected Washington’s Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick, the Lakers landed their point guard of the future.

“It’s a dream come true,” Ball told ESPN. “It’s crazy. I couldn’t ask for anything more and to be able to learn from (Magic Johnson) every day is truly a blessing.”

Ball, UCLA’s highest selection in the NBA draft since David Greenwood was the No. 2 pick in 1979, changed out of his black dress shoes into purple and gold Big Baller Brand shoes a few minutes before he was selected. Continue reading “Lonzo Ball UCLA’s highest NBA draft pick since 1979” »