ESPN loves them some Big Baller Brand.
LaMelo is the more outgoing of the Ball Boys, so expect them to have a camera crew with him the whole time.
LaMelo Ball has joined the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League on a two-year deal with NBA out clauses, he announced on ESPN’s the Jump on Monday.
“My agents did a ton of research on the options I had to play this coming season and Australia really made sense for me,” Ball told ESPN. “They have a really strong league, with excellent coaches and great players, including former and future NBA players, and great strength and conditioning programs. My goal is to be the top pick in next year’s Draft and I feel they can help me reach that goal. Also, the timing of the season works well with the timing of next year’s Draft.”
At 6-foot-7, Ball has unique talent for the modern NBA game with his excellent size, creativity, ball-handling, passing ability and deep shooting range. His thin frame, unorthodox shooting mechanics, casual style of play and inconsistent effort defensively will be the main things scouts will want to evaluate in the NBL, which is known for its physical play and will pose a significant challenge for the 17-year-old, who doesn’t possess much experience against higher levels of competition.
Ball has impressed this summer with his performances at the Drew League, a pro-am summer tournament which draws some of the best talent from Los Angeles but is played at all-star style pace. Prior to this news, Ball was ranked No. 33 in ESPN’s most recent 2020 mock draft, partially due to the uncertainty surrounding his playing situation for 2019-20. He will be projected as a first round pick in the next ESPN forecast released after the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday.
Flip the pages for LaMelo highlights from Drew League.