I posted about the rise of La Melo a few months ago (if someone can find the thread and merge, please be my guest, I could not).
Took a lot of flack for that.
ESPN mock draft now has him at no. 3, and would not be surprised if he was in the running for the number 1 pick. The kid has a really nice game, great BBIQ. Only detraction is his ugly jumper, which looks a lot like his older brother's.
See Givony article below:
LaMelo Ball's rise into the top three
It's time to start taking LaMelo Ball seriously -- possible No. 1 pick seriously -- as an NBA draft prospect.
That was the main takeaway from a four-day trip to Tasmania, home of the NBL Blitz, the Australian and New Zealand basketball league's annual preseason tournament. This year's event drew 27 NBA scouts to check on the progress of Ball and RJ Hampton, both potential top-five selections in 2020.
Ball looked like an NBL MVP candidate. He put up an impressive 19-point, 13-rebound, 7-assist performance against the defending champion Perth Wildcats. Reigning Defensive player of the year Damian Martin tried in vain to slow Ball but was completely unable to phase the 18-year-old. Ball showed similar sparks of potential in earlier preseason contests, most notably dropping 21 points on 11 shots against South East Melbourne. He has moved up to No. 3 in the new ESPN mock draft.
The feedback from NBA scouts was nearly unanimous.
"If he keeps this up, I don't see any way he isn't in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick," one NBA executive told ESPN. "He completely changed my perception of the type of prospect he is, and all of the background info I gathered here from his coaches and teammates paint a very different story of what I thought about him off the court as well."
"He reminds me of Luka Doncic," another scout said. "Just in terms of his size, his feel and his creativity."
NBA teams also were impressed by the way Ball controlled the game, his improved shot selection and mechanics, and his body language.
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"He plays with incredible pace. He's never sped up. He's never rattled by anything that's thrown at him," the same scout said. "You're expecting something magical to happen every time he has the ball. He sees everything. He can make every pass with either hand off a live dribble. His style of play is tailor-made for the NBA game, especially if you surround him with shooting and better finishers."
Many inside and outside the Australian league thought the Illawara Hawks, typically NBL bottom-feeders, were taking a significant risk in adding Ball to their roster via the Next Star program. There were concerns about his fame and potential intervention from Lavar, LaMelo's father, becoming a distraction from winning games.
But the feedback thus far from teammates and coaches has been overwhelmingly positive, likely aided by the fact that Ball has proven to be by far the best player on the team (and possibly in the league).
"He's exceeded expectations," Illawara head coach Matt Flinn said. "He's come with absolutely zero baggage. He's assimilated into his teammates, and they genuinely like having him around. His willingness to share the ball, his willingness to pass, that's fun to be around, and that's fun to play with. I've gotten good feedback that this is the happiest people have seen him in a while.
"I haven't heard from LaVar, so we must be doing something right. [laughs]"
Ball acknowledged a need to reverse some of the negative perception NBA teams have about him, stemming from his rocky stop in Lithuania with Prienai and the off-the-court drama surrounding him and his family in recent years.
"I just need to be myself," he said. "People really don't know the whole background story. They get what they see on camera. Everybody who really just knows me, they already know."
NBA teams were curious how involved LaVar remains in LaMelo's basketball development process in the NBL. LaVar made a brief cameo in Illawara upon his son's arrival, but he didn't request to come to practice, according to Illawara staff members, and he has had minimal contact with the team.
Over the course of the weekend, Ball never donned apparel bearing the Big Baller Brand logo, sporting strictly Nike and Illawara gear. Sources say he will be playing a minimal role in the "Ball in the Family" documentary moving forward. Meanwhile, Ball's camp has been negotiating a sneaker contract with different companies, though it remains to be seen what shoes he'll be wearing in the NBA.
Former NBA player Jermaine Jackson has taken over most of the responsibilities involved in managing LaMelo as his trainer and mentor. Jackson was a role player who clawed his way to a 130-game career over five seasons. He grew up in Detroit, where LaMelo's mother, Tina, is from, and coached Ball last season at Spire Academy. Jackson has been instrumental in bringing Ball back onto the NBA radar through tweaks to shooting mechanics, extensive film sessions, 5:45 a.m. beach workouts and more commitment to defense.
"Having JJ with me has been incredible," Ball said. "It's been a blessing."
While the early returns on Ball in the NBL look promising, the draft is still nine months away. Ball has a lot of work to do to solidify his standing with general managers. Most NBA teams elected to send lower-level international scouts to the Blitz. But multiple NBA teams told ESPN that they are adjusting their schedules based on scouting feedback and film to ensure they get decision-makers on a plane to scout Ball when the NBL regular season starts in October.
Ball's ability to improve his consistent shot-making, off-ball defense, finishing around the basket and decision-making -- while being a more vocal leader on the court at point guard -- will decide how high he ends up being drafted. His frame needs a lot of work too. The fact that he sat out his second game of the Blitz with a minor back injury caused some consternation among scouts.
Growing pains might be expected, though, as Ball has added more than 3 inches in the past two years, and he might continue to get taller than 6-foot-7. He lacks a degree of high-end explosiveness creating offense from a standstill and beating opponents off the dribble, so maximizing his athleticism will be important. He's currently forced to rely on attempts with a high degree of difficulty inside the arc, not always able to get into the teeth of the defense and finish due to his lack of strength.
Overall, Ball appears to be in a perfect situation to showcase his abilities while making the adjustments needed to transition to the NBA game. It's early, but as far as preseason impressions go, it was difficult not to be blown away by the overall talent level he demonstrated, especially when you consider that he is one of the youngest players in this draft class, having turned 18 just a few weeks ago.
Topic: LaMelo Now Considered Top 3 Pick, per Givony in ESPN (Read 9115 times)