Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson praise Lonzo Ball’s performance against Wizards
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No two Pelicans are closer both on and off the court than Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. No one has played alongside Ingram more on the court in his NBA career and only Ball has put in as much work in the practice gym as Ingram.
It should not be considered a coincidence, then, that it was Ingram who stepped to the plate on Wednesday, unprompted, to offer support of his teammate and friend 24 hours after he was thrust into trade rumors.
On the heels of a 124-106 win over Washington to snap a three-game losing streak, Ingram was asked about the team’s offense, which cleared the 120-point mark for just the second time this season. Unprompted, Ingram brought up Ball, who only played in the first half before leaving the game with an ankle injury.
“Every time we came down, it just felt like we were searching for the best shot on the basketball floor and our defense was pretty good today, too,” Ingram said. “The defense turned into transition baskets and some good offense. Everybody was in their spots and ready to play.
“I think Lonzo did a really, really good job of initiating our offense today, making sure everybody was organized. Everything he did, he was confident in everything he did today and it trickled down to everybody else.”
One of the few places Ball has found himself more commonly in during his NBA career than a jersey is in trade rumors. Much of his two-year stint in Los Angeles saw him dangled for big fish and, after a brief reprieve last season in New Orleans, Ball returned to the rumor mill on Tuesday.
And one of the only people in the Pelicans locker room who can relate to being in those trade rumors is Ingram, who was attached to Ball in every proposed trade package during their time with the Lakers. While Ingram has found his footing in New Orleans, Ball is still searching for a firm grip after a slow start this season.
It’s not a coincidence that Ingram brought up Ball’s name on Wednesday. With the ink freshly dried on his max contract from this off-season, Ingram’s voice has some weight, however, big or little, in the Pelicans locker room. His public support of Ball on Wednesday was neither chance nor accident.
Ball’s response on the court Wednesday was impressive, even if it was cut short by an ankle injury that sent him to the locker room just before halftime. In the 16 minutes Ball was on the court, the Pelicans were +23. Ball knocked down a trio of 3-pointers in the half and dished out four assists, including a full-court pass to Zion Williamson seconds after injuring his ankle.
“He showed a lot of confidence today,” Ingram said. “On the defensive end, too, I think Bradley Beal started off a little slow tonight because of his pressure a little bit. Then, on the offensive end, he was ready to shoot the basketball, ready to drive, ready to make the next play and that’s something we need out of him. He drives everything that we do when he’s at the head of everything.”
Head coach Stan Van Gundy said the early reports on Ball were positive after he responded well to treatment in the locker room during the second half.
“It was too bad (he got injured) because he was off to a really good start,” Van Gundy said. “He was doing a good job on Beal and allowed us to have multiple guys guard Beal. (Bledsoe) had to play him the whole second half and get through all those screens and the whole thing so it was difficult when he went out.”
The critiques about Ball vary, but one of the prevalent ones is how much his game can come and go in waves. When confident, Ball can look like the dynamic guard that shot nearly 40% from three for half of last season. When his confidence wains, though, he looks like the guard he was in the bubble or to start this season with his shot not falling and his game full of second-guesses.
“It looks different when he’s going up the floor and he has a pace to him, trying to get to the basket, trying to make something happen,” Ingram said. “He’s our best passer on the basketball floor so when he gets into the lane, he collapses defenses and he knows the right pass to make. So, when he’s playing like that, it makes our team a whole different ball team.”
“It gives a different look for sure,” Williamson added. “We’re always telling him to be himself and take the shots he’s comfortable with. We believe in him to shoot those contested threes, the open threes, just ultimately play his game. He played with a lot of confidence before he went out and when he comes back, we’re going to expect the same thing.”
Ball’s days in New Orleans might not be as numbered as they seemed little more than 24 hours ago. More reports have indicated the Pelicans are shopping multiple members of the team, including veterans JJ Redick and Eric Bledsoe.
It stands to be noted that Ball’s two most ardent supporters in the locker room are the two building blocks of the future in New Orleans in Ingram and Williamson. How much sway they have remains to be seen but, on Wednesday, their backing was evident, timely and potentially meaningful.
