Lonzo Ball has certainly had an interesting start to his career. Of course, it all started when his father LaVar touted him as the next big thing. Ball went second overall to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, only to be traded just a couple of years later. This season, Ball has shown flashes of brilliance although, in the bubble, those heroics didn't shine through. Instead, Ball has had some of the worst statistics of his career as the Pelicans quickly fell out of playoff contention.
According to The Athletic's David Aldridge, it appears as though the reason for Ball's struggles is because he looked as though he had completely checked out on the season. In simpler terms, it means Ball just wasn't into the games and his mind was somewhere else. The sources in Aldridge's piece go unnamed, although considering many of them are in the bubble, it's safe to say they had an up-close look at the point guard.
Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
While this report might be troubling to some, it's important to note that the entire bubble scenario can be hard to get used to, and it's understandable that some may have taken a bit longer to adapt to it. These are unprecedented circumstances and not everyone is going to acclimate to it right away.
Hopefully, for the Pelicans, Ball can be back to normal in time for next season.
[Via]