The Indiana Pacers kicked off their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000 with an electric game-winning shot from Tyrese Haliburton, who sank a mid-range shot with 0.3 seconds left to defeat the Thunder 111-110 on the road.
In the Pacers’ Cinderella run to the finals, Haliburton has established himself as one of the league’s superstars. With averages of 18.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and a whopping 9.5 assists per game, Haliburton has found his stride at the perfect time and led the Pacers to victories over the Cavaliers and Knicks.
Haliburton’s recent success and overall skill set have sparked comparisons online to Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball. Fans of Lonzo have made various social media posts comparing the two players, including Clutch Points reporter Raj Chipalu. These posts state that if Lonzo never tore his meniscus or battled other various injuries, he would put up similar numbers to Haliburton due to their similar styles of play. This poses a hypothetical debate: what heights would Lonzo Ball have reached without the meniscus injury?
Bulls Guard Receives Comparisons to Tyrese Haliburton
Early Career
Lonzo Ball spent his freshman season at UCLA heavily spotlighted by the media. A large part of that spotlight came from his father, LaVar Ball, and his outspoken personality.
During his lone season at UCLA, Lonzo was a superstar. He averaged 14.6 points, six rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game, helping lead the team to a 31-5 regular season record and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, he earned nominations to the All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman teams. LaVar’s comments to the media made Lonzo the most widely known prospect in the 2017 NBA Draft, as he said that Lonzo would become a better player than Stephen Curry.
Lonzo went on to be drafted 2nd overall by the Lakers in 2017. During his first two seasons in Los Angeles, he averaged 10 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Lonzo’s tenure in Los Angeles came to an abrupt end in 2019, as him and Brandon Ingram were sent to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis. Lonzo battled injuries and inconsistency in Los Angeles, but flashed signs of stardom. He unfortunately did not get the full opportunity to develop in Los Angeles with the Lakers front office entering win-now mode after signing LeBron James.
Ascent to Stardom
Things began to turn around for Lonzo in New Orleans. His three-point shooting percentage improved from 31.5 to 37.6% and he averaged an improved 13.1 points per game over the two seasons he spent there. His best stretch of play for the Pelicans came right before the COVID-19 shutdown. From January to March 2020, Lonzo averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.6 steals.
However, once the NBA returned to play in the bubble, Lonzo struggled immensely. He shot ugly percentages of 33.3% on two-pointers and 28.1% from beyond the arc, and averaged the lowest points per game of his career—a mere 7.1. These struggles in consistency, along with questions about his fit alongside Ingram and Zion Williamson, resulted in the Pelicans opting not to retain Lonzo in restricted free agency. Ball then went to Chicago in a sign-and-trade, where he signed a 4-year/$80 million deal with the team.
During the 2021-22 season, Lonzo played at a level on the verge of stardom. He played elite defense and shot the best three-point percentage of his career at 42.3%. Through Lonzo’s leadership and playmaking, the Bulls held the number one seed in the East through January. Lonzo’s playmaking complimented DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine well, as both earned All-Star appearances and were top scorers in the league. Facilitating to DeRozan and LaVine made the Bulls one of the most star-powered and efficient offenses.
What Was Lonzo’s Ceiling?
On Jan. 14, 2022, Lonzo tore his meniscus. He has not been the same player since, nor have the Bulls reached the same heights. The Bulls fell all the way to the sixth seed in that season and lost in the first round to the Bucks. They have yet to make the playoffs since that 2021-22 season. As for Lonzo, he missed the next two seasons and had three succeeding knee surgeries. Although he finally returned to the Bulls this season, he battled lingering injuries all year and looks like a shell of himself.
As for reaching the heights of Haliburton, it is impossible to say for sure. However, Haliburton reached higher peaks earlier on in his career compared to Ball. Haliburton held higher scoring averages and three-point shooting percentages in his rookie year, and became a top passer once traded from the Kings to the Pacers.
While the Bulls could have seen similar success without Lonzo’s meniscus tear, Lonzo would likely have not been as good with the scorers surrounding him. I think that Lonzo would have eventually made an All-Star appearance and would be a top point guard today. However, what Haliburton has done deserves to be in a league of its own.
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