Lonzo Ball has long been a fan of one of his new teammates, LeBron James, but when it came to lining up against and practicing with arguably the greatest player of all time, Ball wasn't nervous.
“Nah, I’m never nervous to play with nobody,’’ Ball told reporters Thursday, via USA Today. “He’s just another person at the end of the day. He not God.’’
He welcomed the challeng of defending James.
“It was a tough job,’’ he said, grinning.
Ball went full speed at practice for the first time since his knee surgery, but is not expected to play in the Lakers' preseason opener against the Nuggets on Sunday.
Despite not being on the court with James this weekend, Ball has already seen the impact the three-time NBA champion has had on the team.
“I’ve been watching him my whole life,’’ Ball added. “But playing with him, he’s very vocal. You know, his voice is very demanding.’’
Another newly acquired Laker, Rajon Rondo, will be taking Ball's spot on the court as he works off the rust.
