Isaiah Thomas Doubts Lonzo Ball’s Shot Can Ever Be Fixed

Isaiah Thomas stopped by ‘Tiki and Tierney’ on CBS Radio where they discussed a wide range of topics, including whether or not Lonzo Ball can ever fix his unorthodox jump shot. Thomas has his doubts.

Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers selected Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, there has always been an ongoing concern regarding the UCLA product’s jump shot. In his lone season with the Bruins, Ball shot 55.1 percent from the field, and a respectable 41.2 percent from beyond the arc. His decent percentages in college were able to quiet doubters ... until the conclusion of his first year with the Lakers where he was 36 percent from the field, and 30.5 percent from downtown. Whenever his coaches look for ways to improve Lonzo’s shooting numbers, the issue surrounding his unorthodox release becomes the first topic of discussion. Can Ball’s jump shot be fixed? 

If Ball’s shot is broken, the process to get it right could take some time. Just look at the problems that have faced Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in this past year’s draft. Fultz needed to completely overhaul his motion before the start of his rookie campaign, and he never got it all the way right. He has made strides towards fixing his shot this offseason, but there are still people who would prefer to see the improvements during an actual game before proclaiming that he is back to the form that warranted him being the top pick. 

On Thursday, Ball’s former Lakers teammate Isaiah Thomas discussed whether his jumper is beyond repair during his appearance on Tiki and Tierney on CBS Sports Radio. "Lonzo is a great kid. I don’t think they’re going to be able to fix his jump shot but they can work with him and get it better than how it is right now," he said. "He’s a talented, talented young player that’s going to be special in this league because he has the tools to be special."

Much like this year’s Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons, Ball is so talented in other aspects of the game of basketball that it can overshadow his shortcomings as a shooter. However, the expectation with Simmons is that he will get that shot right at some point later in his career. If Lonzo is never able to fix the issue, how will that impact his career in the long run? 

Will defenders sag off him so much that it will eliminate Ball’s ability to beat them off the dribble? Will Ball never reach his true potential because of one glaring weakness in his game? It’s difficult to assume so much after just one season so all Lakers fans can hope is that Thomas isn’t right.

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