Lonzo Ball: LeBron James Isn't Hard to Play with Despite Kevin Durant's Comments

Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball had nothing but praise for LeBron James as a teammate after they wrapped up their first season together. 

Asked about Kevin Durant's previous comments regarding the difficulty of playing with James, Ball told reporters Wednesday: "It was a dream come true for me … He's not only a great basketball player but a great person … His IQ is off the charts; he wasn't hard to play with at all."

Durant told B/R's Ric Bucher in December why it can be hard for other players to suit up alongside James:

"So much hype comes from being around LeBron from other people. He has so many fanboys in the media. Even the beat writers just fawn over him. I'm like, we're playing basketball here, and it's not even about basketball at certain points. So I get why anyone wouldn't want to be in that environment because it's toxic. Especially when the attention is bullshit attention, fluff. It's not LeBron's fault at all; it's just the fact you have so many groupies in the media that love to hang on every word. Just get out of the way and let us play basketball."

James' ability to recruit other superstars to play with him has been an ongoing topic of discussion, particularly since he signed with the Lakers last summer. 

The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported in October there were "whispers around the league" that potential free agents Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard don't want to play with James. 

When Kyrie Irving demanded a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers in July 2017, ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst reported it was because he "no longer" wanted to play alongside the four-time NBA MVP. 

Irving's tune might have changed since he split from James. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith noted Tuesday on his radio show (h/t 98.5 The Sports Hub) that Irving will meet with the Lakers during free agency this summer. 

Ball and James didn't get much time together this season to build a rapport. Both players combined to sit out 62 games due to injuries as the Lakers finished a disappointing 37-45 and missed the postseason for the sixth straight year.