The real person to blame for the struggles of Lonzo Ball is Stephen Curry. Don't worry, I'll explain. Wardell Stephen Curry was drafted with the 7th overall pick of the 2009 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Since basketball was originated, the player tasked with acting as the point guard had the job of directing the floor and getting the ball into the hands of the scorers. From John Stockton to Magic Johnson to Jason Kidd, decade after decade, the point guard had a specific job on the floor, run the plays, pass the ball, be a leader. Stephen Curry has changed that.

Before he was drafted in 2009, that decade was filled with great floor generals: Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker and many more. Now fast forward to 2017, and Curry has changed the way basketball is played. More three-pointers are being tossed up than any previous years, even 7-footers are shooting the ball from 25+ feet away. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and the Golden State Warriors have become so lethal with their shooting that they've changed how winning basketball is played.

What does this have to do with Lonzo Ball?

Lonzo Ball isn't any normal basketball player. He is a young kid with the weight of one of, if not the most, decorated franchises in the history of the NBA. That's a lot of pressure, and when you add in the constant LaVar Ball media presence and the "Big Baller Brand" frenzy, you can imagine that Lonzo might struggle to handle everything at once.

One thing interesting about Lonzo, however, is that he doesn't play point guard as it is now played, he doesn't shoot the ball 20 times a game. He looks to create for others first and his vision on the floor is matched by few. The biggest problem he has faced thus far is that his game simply doesn't coincide with how the Steph Curry's of the league play and that is completely OK.

Many people forget that in 2009, before the draft, there were questions about whether Steph Curry could play in the NBA. In fact, one of the first concerns that were raised in his combine scouting report was his lack of true point guard ability. "He's not a natural point guard that an NBA team can rely on to run a team." Possibly because of that doubt, the Minnesota Timberwolves took two point guards at picks five and six in that draft, neither of whom were Curry.

It was Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn. Ricky Rubio truly personified what the Timberwolves were looking for in a point guard, a passer who could get Kevin Love open and run the offense. So when Lonzo Ball came into this league with his pass-first style and a hesitancy to shoot, he was met with large amounts of criticism from the media about how he's a bust, but the Lakers have only played 17 games. Just like Steph Curry, Lonzo is trying to change the way the point guard is viewed in the NBA, and just like when Curry entered the league, it will take time for that change to take effect.
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