CHICAGO - When the Los Angeles Lakers took Lonzo Ball as the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, there was a lot of upside to justify the high selection.
The 6-foot-6, 195-pound point guard was a feel-good story, a hometown hero who hails from Chino Hills in Anaheim, starred at UCLA and possessed the skill-set that looked like the keystone of a "Showtime Lakers" reincarnation.
But two things got in the way of his promise.
He couldn't stay healthy, missing 65 games. And he struggled to shoot, converting just 388 of 1,020 field goals (38 percent ) including a hideous 165 of 523 fare from 3-land (31.5 percent).
After just two seasons, Lonzo faded like a flickering Hollywood neon sign. So he was shipped to New Orleans in a three-team trade that brought Anthony Davis to Los Angeles last July.
A man of many moves, this jersey swap was Ball's best bounce yet.
Whether it's the soothing jazz music, the southern comfort food, or perhaps, the voodoo, the move to the bayou is proving to be an upgrade, transforming Ball from a solid NBA rotation player into a blossoming star.
In his maiden season in New Orleans, Ball has remained relatively injury-free and has appeared in 54 of the Pelicans' 62 games while averaging 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7 assists an outing, per BasketballReference.com.
And his shooting has improved to 40.6 percent from the field and a stunning 37.1 percent behind the arc. He still needs work at the free throw line but he now makes 57.8 percent of his freebies, up from the 43.6 percent he averaged in L.A.
A FORMER BRICK LAYER is now a budding sniper.
How exactly did he do that?
"Just focusing on my jumpshot, honestly. It got tweaked a little bit. Shout out to coach Fred (Vinson), with me all the time - in the mornings and at night. Just a lot of work, a lot of repetition," Ball told SiriusXM NBA Radio.
Ball used to have an unorthodox shot, a polite euphemism for "ugly."
Like a hungry reticulated python about to slowly curl on its prey, he used to drag his shot from the left side of his body across to the right side. His release was so slow, it allowed defenders to grab a newspaper, light a cigarette, read the headlines, and still make a decent contest.
Under assistant coach Vinson's watch, Ball has altered his shot into a simple up and down motion. With a quick gather and a fast release, Lonzo is now sinking 3s in a way that would make Ray Allen smile.
Ball swished 7-of-11 triples in the Pelicans' 127-123 OT loss to the Mavericks this morning. He went 7-of-10 outside the arc against the Timberwolves yesterday. making his two-game total to 18 of 32 overall from the field.
Unfortunately, after three straight losses, the Pelicans have plummeted to a 26-36 record, which puts them four games behind the 31-31 Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth and last playoffs berth in the Western Conference.
But with a young core that includes 22-year old Brandon Ingram and 19-year old Zion Williamson, the Pelicans will be a handful for years to come.
Tied to a two-year $19.7 million contract, Ball will become a free agent in July 2021. And if his current numbers would hold steady, he will be eligible to a massive payday that could breach nine figures.
When I first met him for a short interview at the 2017 Summer League in Las Vegas, Lonzo was just a 20-year old kid straight out of college, thrust into a man's game and forced to grow up quickly.
Now he's an adult with 18 added pounds of muscle, more experienced and better equipped to handle the physical demands of the NBA.
It may be perpetually sunny in Los Angeles but Ball's future is brighter in New Orleans.
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