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The New Orleans Pelicans were treated to a breakout season from Lonzo Ball in a season that played out vastly different than Ball’s seasons in Los Angeles. Nearly across the board, Ball had a career-best season whether it was scoring, shooting from range or from an efficiency standpoint.
But what caught the most eyes were the highlight-reel passes and alley oops to Zion Williamson. Ball’s passing, which has long been his greatest strength on the court, went to another level this season.
Fox Sports New Orleans color analyst Antonio Daniels had a front row seat for Ball’s season. Daniels, a former player himself, joined the official Pelicans podcast last week to discuss which former player Ball reminds him of.
“With me, he reminds me a lot of, with the vision aspect, the ability to put the ball where it needs to be on time and on target, reminds me of Jason Kidd and also of Steve Nash. Both of those guys, their vision was incredible. It’s one thing to see, it’s another thing to see and to have the skillset available to put the ball where it needs to be. A lot of us may be able to see that pass but everybody can’t make that pass and Lonzo Ball has the ability to see it and make it. Here’s the thing, once Lonzo’s confidence catches up with his skillset, he’s going to be a problem.”
The Jason Kidd comparisons have existed dating back to Ball’s days at UCLA. While it’s an easy comparison as both were California-born point guards that stayed in-state for college, it also had some merit on the court as well. The Steve Nash comparisons aren’t as common but also have some merits given his passing acumen, too.
Daniels does make a couple of other interesting points. Ball’s ability to make the passes he sees is an underrated aspect of not just his game but any great passer’s game. While many passers may see Williamson open 70-feet downcourt, few can make the pass like Ball.
Ball’s confidence also goes a long way in his effectiveness on the court. As Daniels notes, if he can get his confidence level to match his skill set, it could be the perfect mix for a breakout season.
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