Future NBA Hall of Famer Jason Kidd responded to comparisons being made between him and Lonzo Ball in the media on Friday, November 10. Kidd was presented with an inquiry by Molly Qerim into whether he sees the same similarities, during a guest appearance on ESPN's First Take. Kidd's response? "It's still early in his career, and it's a stretch."
"He has to understand what it means to play hard and what it means to win, and how to win at the highest level. It takes time, and hopefully in three years maybe there is a better comparison, but right now it is a stretch and he has a ways to go," Kidd said.
Lakers fans have gotten to see the best of Ball (29 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists vs. the Suns) and they've seen the worst of Ball (0 points, three rebounds, four assists vs. the Trail Blazers), and through it all he's so far proven to be a middle of the pack rookie with potential for his game to round out.
The former UCLA star has done well in rebounding and assists, but his scoring woes have made him apprehensive and unwilling to take risks. His 3 for 12 performance vs. the Washington Wizards on Thursday night dropped his shooting percentage to 29.5, which is the second lowest in NBA history for a player with at least 100 field goal attempts through 11 games.
Through 11 games, Kidd's numbers were eerily similar. He registered 9.7 points with 6.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Ball has scored 8.8 points and matched Kidd's 6.4 rebounds while adding 6.9 assists. Both turned the ball over 2.4 times per game, although Kidd had 2.0 steals and Ball has had 1.1 steals per game.
Source: YouTube
