LOS ANGELES — Zion Williamson was working up a sweat. As a small army of assistant coaches monitored Williamson’s pregame workout at Staples Center on Friday, Lonzo Ball, one of his teammates on the New Orleans Pelicans, emerged from a courtside tunnel and sat on the visiting bench. Dozens of early-arriving fans remained fixated on Williamson, capturing every dribble, every shot, every breath on their phones. Ball laced up his sneakers in relative obscurity, then joined Williamson on the court for some work of his own. Three years later, at the crusty age of 22, far from the glare of Los Angeles, Ball is trying to assemble his game in a new city, with a new team.

Source: New York Times January 04, 2020 20:26 UTC