Go Joe Bruin
Fansided

UCLA Basketball: Lonzo Ball Named First Team AP All-American

By Mike Regalado

March 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) dunks to score a basket against the Washington Huskies during the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
March 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) dunks to score a basket against the Washington Huskies during the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Former UCLA Basketball player Lonzo Ball has been named to the AP All-American First Team.

UCLA Basketball’s Lonzo Ball may be headed to the NBA, but not before he receives his much deserved accolades after a fantastic year.

Today, Ball received another as he has been named as not only an AP All-American, but is a member of the first team. How does that sound on a resume? Lonzo Ball, AP First Team All-American. It has a nice ring to it!

Ball has quite possibly been the most electric freshman to put on a UCLA jersey since Kevin Love in the Ben Howland era. Ball, along with teammates TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford and company, have put UCLA back on the map as they have been a Top 10/15 team all season long.

As the floor general, Ball helped turn around a 15-17 team into a 31-5 Sweet 16 program. He finished his college career with 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals. Ball did it all at UCLA.

He orchestrated wins over #1 Kentucky, Arizona and the Final Four-bound Oregon Ducks, was the spark for the Bruins’ uptempo offense and was even a leader on the defensive end.

Ball was a difference maker for the Bruins and will be missed. Immediately after UCLA’s loss in the Sweet 16 he had stated that he would declare for the NBA Draft. We all knew it was going to happen from Day 1 and his name on the AP All-American list backs up the fact that he is ready for the NBA.

Next: UCLA Basketball: 5 Bold Predictions for the 2017-18 Season

The rest of the AP All-American First Team is as follows: Frank Mason III (Kansas), Josh Hart (Villanova), Caleb Swanigan (Purdue) and Justin Jackson (North Carolina). The full list of AP All-American teams can be seen HERE.