Lonzo Ball on Lakers 'disrespecting' Julius Randle
Lonzo Ball on Lakers 'disrespecting' Julius Randle
Even though the Los Angeles Lakers now have Luka Doncic and LeBron James, they still have some fans who miss the young prospects they were accumulating before James came to town in 2018.
The Lakers went six straight years without making the playoffs until they won the NBA championship in 2020. But toward the end of that drought, they had a group of promising players that included point guard Lonzo Ball and big man Julius Randle.
While on the "What an Experience" podcast, Ball recalled one incident with the Lakers that he felt was disrespect to Randle.
"They sat us all down early in the season in the locker room, went through everybody's roles and [expletive]," Ball said. "They got to [Julius Randle]. They talking about 'just rebound and set screens, nothing else'. I'm like, 'What the [expletive]?' So then I'm like, 'Nah,' I low key spoke up. I'm talking about 'nah'. Like he one of our best players… And then after that [expletive], that's when we got cool after that. But nah, they was disrespecting him crazy in LA, bro. And now look what he doing now."
Ball was one of the most hyped NBA players ever when he came out of the University of California, Los Angeles as the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. But he has never even come close to meeting that hype, although he has been a useful player when available.
In two seasons with Los Angeles, he averaged 10.0 points, 6.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds a game while shooting 38% from the field and 31.5% from 3-point range. He was shipped off to the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 trade that brought L.A. Anthony Davis, and afterward, he greatly improved his 3-point shooting.
However, he has been unable to stay healthy. He has played in just 287 games since being drafted, and he missed all of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons following a meniscus tear he sustained midway through the 2021-22 campaign.
Randle, the No. 7 pick in the 2014 draft, spent four seasons with the Lakers and averaged 16.1 points on 55.8% field-goal shooting and 8.0 rebounds per game during his final season with them. He left afterward as a free agent, and some fans have criticized the Lakers for letting him leave rather than getting anything in return for him.
He is now an integral part of a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is about to make its second straight appearance in the Western Conference Finals.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Golden State visits Los Angeles, aims to break road skid
Golden State Valkyries (3-5, 2-3 Western Conference) at Los Angeles Sparks (3-6, 2-5 Western Conference) Los Angeles; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Golden State Valkyries will attempt to end its three-game road skid when the Valkyries play Los Angeles Sparks. Advertisement Los Angeles finished 8-32 overall and 5-15 in Western Conference action last season. The Sparks allowed opponents to score 85.6 points per game and shoot 46.4% from the field last season. Golden State hits the court for the ninth game in franchise history. The Valkyries beat the Las Vegas Aces 95-68 in their last game. INJURIES: Sparks: Cameron Brink: out (knee), Rae Burrell: out (leg). Valkyries: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ross Chastain makes massive save after contact with Carson Hocevar
Should the Sixers draft for fit or star potential with the No.3 pick? John Clark and Danny Pommells discuss what they think the Sixers should do with the No. 3 pick in the NBA the Sixers draft for fit or star potential with the No.3 pick? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991 originally appeared on Basketball Network. Throughout his career, Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy was best known for his offensive prowess. However, that didn't mean that the North Carolina product was useless on defense. Advertisement "Big Game James" displayed that in the 1991 Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He was assigned to guard Chris Mullin, a move that proved successful. "I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense," the top pick of the 1982 Draft said via UPI. The Lakers made the defensive adjustments after "Mully" dropped a game-high 41 points in Game 2 of that series. Then-coach Mike Dunleavy took Magic Johnson off the Warriors star and replaced him with Worthy. Overlooking Worthy's defense At the time, Worthy was one of the Lakers' top offensive weapons. He was a great finisher in the fast break and had a decent mid-range shot. Best of all, he was not afraid to take clutch shots when needed. Advertisement Because of his athleticism, long arms, quickness and basketball IQ, the 6'9" Worthy did his share to help the Lakers on the defensive end. His size proved to be a problem for players like Mullin. The St. John's product admitted James gave him problems. "He gets in your stuff off the dribble and he's still big enough to get into your shot when you step back. He and Dennis (Rodman) are the two quickest guys in the league," the lefty sharpshooter quipped. With Worthy on him, Mullin's point production dwindled in the games that followed. After that 41-point explosion, the 6'7" forward managed to score only nine points in Game 4. Chris did unload 26 in Game 5, but the effort went for naught as the Lakers closed out the series 124-119. Related: "Shaq, I'm from the Balkans, you cannot haze me so hard, I've seen everything" - Goran Dragic recalls how he survived Shaquille O'Neal's rookie treatment Worthy's career turning point The Lakers would next face and defeat the Portland Trail Blazers (4-2) to set up a finals clash with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. LA drew first blood by taking Game 1, 93-91. Advertisement However, that win came at a price. Worth reinjured his left ankle and played through the pain the rest of the way. According to Dunleavy, "Big Game James'" injury was costly. The Lakers coach felt the Lakers had a good chance to win the title, especially with James' familiarity with Jordan. "The worst part was James Worthy getting injured," Dunleavy said. "We felt really good about our chances there. James played with Michael at North Carolina and was not intimidated by him at all. And he was our guy to defend him." Despite not being 100%, Worthy still led the Lakers in scoring with 19.3 points per game. But against Jordan (31.2 points per game) and Scottie Pippen (20.8 points per game), the effort went for naught. Advertisement Worthy's high ankle injury was only the beginning. In the latter part of the 1991-92 season, James underwent knee surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. These injuries took a lot of the UNC product's quickness and leaping ability. He played the next two seasons but decided to call it a career in the 1994-95 preseason. It was quite a run for "Big Game James," who played a crucial role in three Lakers championships. His two-way impact made him invaluable — a big reason why the franchise retired his No. 42 jersey. On top of that, his stellar career earned him a spot on both the NBA's 50th and 75th-anniversary teams — honors that felt like the perfect nod to a player who always delivered when it mattered most. Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
