It’s time for Lonzo Ball to bring his UCLA knowledge to the Lakers

Tonight, former UCLA Basketball point guard Lonzo Ball will make his NBA debut, bringing his knowledge of big time basketball from UCLA and applying it to the Los Angeles Lakers.

UCLA Basketball had a resurgence last year due to the mixture of a Top 10 recruiting class, contributions from experienced upperclassmen and the implementation of an uptempo offense. Leading this team on the hardwood was freshman phenom Lonzo Ball.

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With Ball running the point, he helped the Bruins go from 15-17 to 31-5. Head Coach Steve Alford had plenty of players to accommodate the uptempo style that became the second highest scoring teams in college hoops (89.8 ppg). Aside from directing this high-scoring offense, Ball had the most assists in the nation (7.6 apg).

The result was better than expected. With Ball distributing the rock, he could rely on the hot hands of wingmen Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton. If the Bruins needed points down low, he could get the ball to the reliable TJ Leaf down low or get a mid-range shot from Thomas Welsh. UCLA had one of the best offenses in the nation and Ball was a big reason why.

The time Ball spent with UCLA was the most intense basketball he has ever played up to that point in his life. Yes, he played competitively at Chino Hills — leading them to a perfect season in 2016-17 — but it was nothing compared to collegiate-level hoops at a Power 5 school.

Tonight, Ball takes the next step as he begins his professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers. This will now be the most intense basketball experience in the young athlete’s life. Using what he learned at UCLA, Ball will try to rejuvenate another less-than-stellar basketball team, though this expedition will be a lot touger to navigate through.

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The Lakers have gone through a few tough seasons of their own. Last season, they went 26-56 and missed the playoffs, again.

Unlike college hoops, turning around a pro team is a huge process. At UCLA, or most Division I schools, If a team lands two or three key recruits, a program can make an immediate 180. It doesn’t work that way in the NBA.

Still, Ball has been through this before and will make a difference for the Lakers, though it will take sometime, maybe a few seasons. L.A. does not have what UCLA had when Ball entered the scene. UCLA is able to reload with recruiting classes while the Lakers have to depend on the draft, trades and development.

Aside from the first one, where the Lakers selected Ball second in the NBA Draft, L.A. has not done a great job in setting up their future in the last few seasons. But that looks to change with Jeanie Buss and Earvin “Magic” Johnson running the show on the front office as the Lakers are looking to right the ship.

The acquisition of Lonzo Ball was a key element to that plan because now they can build around a player they hope to hold onto long-term and develop this team into a contendor. Now if L.A. can make some moves in free agency after the season, we have a whole new ball game, no pun intended.

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With Ball running the point, the Lakers are in good hands. He will use his experience going up against top-tier programs like Kentucky, Arizona and Cincinnati and bring that flare to the Lakers. Though the talent he will now be facing is in the association is a step above the NCAA, if Ball showed Bruins fans anything, it’s that he can’t not stop and he won’t stop. This is your new guy, Lakers.