Lonzo Ball names DeMar DeRozan as one of the toughest players to guard in the NBA

Lonzo holds Deebo in high regard.

© Ashley Landis/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball hasn't played in the NBA in over a year due to his injured knee. However, before his debilitating injury, the former UCLA standout was considered one of the league's best defenders, capable of staying with some of the best offensive players in the league.

Still, there are some players in the NBA that Ball had difficulty defending. In a piece for the Players Tribune, the 6-foot-6 guard submitted a list of the toughest players he's ever had to guard, and without hesitation, he mentioned his teammate, DeMar DeRozan.

Rude introduction

Ball went on to share a story about how he played DeRozan—then a San Antonio Spur—right before his rookie season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers. Ball said he was at the Lakers' practice facility and saw there were a bunch of NBA guys getting a sweat in, and soon enough, a 5-on-5 game broke out, and he found himself matched up against the crafty wingman.

"They put me on Demar. And I'm not even joking, this guy was calling out his moves before he was even doing them," shared Ball. "Going right. Going left. Fadeaway. Step-back. Shimmy. Turnaround jumper. And he just kept hitting shots. It was like clockwork."

Nothing he could do about it

Whatever thoughts Ball had about the NBA heading to his first year were immediately shattered in that very moment as he saw firsthand the kind of talent he was going up against.

"There was nothing I could do with it," added Ball. "He put like 40 on me that day. It was definitely my 'Welcome to the NBA' moment. So out of all the guys in the league, I gotta respect Demar DeRozan, because he was the first one who showed me the level I needed to be at to compete in this league. That's something I'll never forget."