Los Angeles Lakers select hometown star Lonzo Ball to kickstart new era

Lonzo Ball was tied to the Lakers for months ahead of the 2017 NBA draft. The Los Angeles Lakers had several options at the No. 2 spot in the 2017 NBA draft, including trading the pick for an established player or taking a promising prospect like Kentucky point guard De'Aaron Fox or Kansas wing Josh Jackson. In the end, though, they made the choice most expected — to select UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, a local product from Chino Hills with the talent and star appeal to lead the Lakers into a new era.