Lonzo Ball out Monday with groin injury, will miss matchup vs. De'Aaron Fox



Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball will sit out Monday's Las Vegas Summer League game against the Kings with a groin injury, a source confirmed to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

The injury isn't considered serious but the Lakers are playing it safe with Ball, who was selected No. 2 overall in this year's draft.

"He's fine," the source told ESPN.

Ball has had the injury since last week, the source told ESPN.

The matchup with the Kings had been highly anticipated because it would pit Ball against fellow rookie De'Aaron Fox, who was selected No. 5 overall this year.

USA Today Sports first reported news that Ball would sit out Monday's game with the injury.



Lonzo Ball's groin injury isn't considered serious but the Lakers are playing it safe with their prized lottery pick by holding him out Monday night. Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

Fox got the best of Ball in the NCAA tournament, when he and the Kentucky Wildcats beat Ball's UCLA team 86-75.

Fox scored a career-high 39 points in that game, with four assists and three rebounds. Ball finished with 10 points, eight assists and four turnovers.

Kings fans were looking forward to Monday's matchup, and team management is hosting a free watch party inside Golden 1 Center.

Ball was looking to continue his momentum from Saturday when he compiled his first triple-double with the Lakers for 11 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in an 86-81 loss to Boston. That was a turnaround from his Lakers summer league debut the night before when he shot 2-for-15, including 1-for-11 from 3-point range, in an overtime loss to the Clippers.

Fox averaged 17.5 points, 4 assists and 4 steals in his first two games with the Kings in Las Vegas.

The Lakers will face the Kings without Ball and last year's second overall pick, Brandon Ingram. After he suffered a cramp toward the end of the Lakers' first game on Friday, the team opted to hold out Ingram from the remainder of summer league for precautionary reasons. Ball had said he wants to win, work on his shot more in summer league and develop chemistry with his teammates.

"My shot is off," Ball said on Saturday. "But everyone knows I will keep shooting. My confidence is there."