The Los Angeles Lakers are looking at four really good college prospects ahead of the 2017 NBA Draft. Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report reported the Lakers’ draft wish-list is narrowed down to these four standouts: Washington’s Markelle Fultz, UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, Kansas’ Josh Jackson and Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox.
Markelle Fultz
The Lakers have 46.9 percent chance to keep a top-three pick and 15.6 percent chance of landing the no.1 overall pick in the draft. According to most Mock Drafts, the 19-year old Fultz should be the top pick in this draft class because of his size and NBA-ready scoring ability at the point guard spot.
In a report by NBA Draft expert Chad Ford, the Lakers aren’t much enamored on Fultz as they are on Ball, simply because they already have a combo-guard project in D’Angelo Russell. As everybody knows, Lakers president Magic Johnson want to use their pick for a capable ball distributor.
However, Fultz’s assists production isn’t shabby at all. Apart from putting up 23.2 points and 5.9 rebounds, the dynamic guard averaged 5.7 assists per game – which is pretty good at the college level.
Moreover, Fultz seems to have the swagger that keeps him pushing the envelope. In fact, in an interview with SiriousXM NBA Radio, the consensus no.1 pick expressed his desire to learn under the tutelage of Magic, and one day, surpass the Lakers icon’s status as the greatest point guard in NBA history.
Lonzo Ball
It’s not that hard to fall in love with Ball’s game. According to Mark Heisler of Los Angeles Daily News, Johnson likes Ball’s poise and court vision to the point that he’s willing to take the UCLA product despite all the shenanigans surrounding his father, LaVar Ball.
“Happily for Lonzo, scouts have him down as a level-headed, unassuming young man or, in other words, nothing like his father.
Asked about LaVar at the NBA combine, Magic said the father would have “no effect at all” on his son’s draft status,” Heisler noted.
Josh Jackson
Jackson is viewed as another prospect the Lakers are taking a closer look on. While Fultz and Ball are the clear-cut top-2 prospects in the draft, Jackson is the better all-around player among the draftees because of his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.
Ding also thinks the Kansas Jayhawks is a better fit alongside Russell and Brandon Ingram because of perimeter defense and a solid clip from beyond the arc at 38 percent.
De’Aaron Fox
Fox is the most surprising entry of the four prospects because he’s considered a top-10 pick at best. However, the Lakers reportedly like his speed and athleticism at the point guard position.
“Fox ranks behind no one, however, when it comes to speed and athleticism. His explosiveness would be a fascinating complement to Russell's craftiness and Ingram's length,” per Ding’s report.
