Best Game Ever: Lonzo Ball’s crazy step-back jumper wins game for UCLA

Dan Woike asked NBA players to tell us about the best game in their basketball career. This week: Lonzo Ball.

Feb. 9, 2017: No. 10 UCLA 82, No. 5 Oregon 79

15 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist

If things go according to plan, this answer might change. Lonzo Ball, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, still has a lot of basketball ahead of him as a professional. If there’s anything to be taken from the last month, there are better days ahead for Ball with the New Orleans Pelicans if he can stay on the floor and get a rhythm. Still, his best game ever might be a little bit of a surprise. Ball picked one from his brief stop in Westwood, focusing on a night when the Bruins got a huge home win thanks, in part, to a step-back, long-range jumper in the final minute.

“My best game? I think it was a game at UCLA, when we played Oregon at home. That was a good game. That last shot, I hit a step-back from like 30 feet. The crowd was going crazy. Magic Johnson was courtside. I’d go with that. In the moment, you just play to win. You don’t really worry about what it looks like. I’ve seen the play since and I didn’t notice the crowd, how crazy they went, when I made the shot. Yeah, it’s a great moment. UCLA was a lot of fun for me, and that game was crazy. We were down by 19 points and came back all the way, ended up winning.”

Sports

Best Games Ever

NBA players tell us about their best game ever.

Dec. 28, 2018