The 2020 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the LaMelo Ball 2020 NBA Draft Profile.
Background
Position:Â Point Guard
Size:Â 6-foot-8, 180 pounds
School: USA
Class:Â International
Ball has gained a lot of fame through his family over the years, but he has proven to be able to play. He is one of the best players in the 2020 NBA Draft class.
While he was a great high school prospect, he decided to play professionally overseas before entering the NBA Draft. He first played in Lithuania and then in the league created by his father LaVar Ball before returning to a high school in order to try and play in college. After high school, he signed with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League in Australia. He averaged 17 points, 6.8 assists and 7.6 rebounds for the Hawks.
After some international experience, Ball has proven to be able to handle the spotlight. He will likely be picked very early on in the 2020 NBA Draft and could be in the running for the first overall pick.
Strengths
He will be one of the biggest point guards in the league at 6-foot-8. This allows Ball to see over defenders and make good passes. It also allows him to drive to the basket and finish over smaller defenders. He can guard multiple positions because of his size and length as well. His size will make him a matchup problem.
While he didn’t find his shot in Australia, Ball has been able to shoot from deep in his career. He has NBA-range and has solid form to his shot. Ball is successful at shooting off the dribble and off of the catch. He’ll need to be more consistent in this area, but Ball should be able to keep a defense stretched with his range.
Ball’s anticipation and feel for the game is great. He handles the ball well, especially for his size. His command of an offense will be an asset at the NBA level. Because of his anticipation, Ball is a great passer and he can lead his teammates into easy shots. He’ll need a little bit of work, but he should be able to handle running an offense.
Weaknesses
His shot selection could use some work. He has a lot of confidence in his shot, but that sometimes gets him into trouble. Ball can be seen throwing up shots from real deep instead of looking for the best shot. His first NBA head coach will have to get him to focus on taking the right shots instead of throwing up a bunch of heat checks.
He needs to add strength to his frame to be able to handle the grind of an NBA schedule. Other players who are 6-foot-8 in the league are well over 200 pounds, while Ball is just 180. If he is guarded by someone bigger than him, they can prevent him from getting to his spots. On defense, bigger players could post him up and win with strength.
Ball can sometimes be too loose with the ball. Sometimes he tries to play too fast and it comes back to hurt him in the end. In Australia, he had 2.5 turnovers per game. Ball will face much better defenders in the NBA, so that number could go up if he doesn’t work on protecting the basketball.
Projected Draft Range:Â Top 5 Pick
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