UCLA Basketball: Bovada Lists Lonzo Ball as a Favorite to Win AP Player of the Year
UCLA Basketball’s super freshman Lonzo Ball was listed as one of the favorites to win the AP Player of the Year, per Bovada.
The UCLA Basketball team is getting a pretty solid player in freshman PG Lonzo Ball. He is not only expected to help change the nature of the program, but is expected to be one of the better players in the country.
According to the online betting site Bovada, Ball was given the 6th best odds to win the AP POY at 10/1 (as taken from Zagsblog).
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Last season, Ball was rated as the #3 point guard and the #7 overall player in the nation according to Scout.com. Along with his brothers, LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball (both UCLA commits), he helped lead Chino Hills High school to an undefeated season and an unofficial national championship.
Along with the addition of Ball and his freshmen counterparts T.J. Leaf and Ike Anigbogu, the Bruins are expected to help turn around a team that finished 15-17 last season.
UCLA is not only expected to be a Top 25 team, but could also compete for a Pac-12 Championship. A lot of that has to do with the added skills of Ball.
If you have not seen what Ball can do (check out the video below), then you will be pleasantly surprised to know that he is indeed a game changer.
Not only does he have a killer outside shot, but his ball handling skills and mechanics will help make everyone else on his team a better player.
The last few seasons, the Bruins have not had a true point guard to help facilitate the flow of the offense. Bryce Alford had the majority of those duties, but his “shoot first” mentality often left the Bruins without any potent offensive game plan.
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That will change this season when Ball takes over. Finally, we will be able to see what this talent-laden squad can do when there is a point guard with all the right tools leading the charge. And that is not a shot at Alford. With Ball on the team, Alford will be one of the better shooters in the Pac-12. Go Bruins!