2 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.. That, however, might no longer be the case. LaMelo Ball made his preseason debut for the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Over the last three weeks, I’ve watched about 15 NBL games in preparation for the 2020 NBA Draft. 3 pick of the draft, has signed his rookie contract with the Hornets, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. He is more than adept at dissecting defenses in the half-court offense as well. Ball has an impressive handle and passing vision, but his most poignant skill is how he moves defenders with his eyes. While the Hornets ended a nine-month layoff between games, Ball's break lasted over a year. LaMelo Ball already looks like a preternatural passer. Others are considered about Ball's decision-making, defensive effort, inconsistency, and overall impact on winning. LaMelo is more of a natural gifted scorer and quicker, especially with the ball. The impressive touch Ball displays on his pass in the below clip is a common occurrence in his games. LaMelo Ball hit the ground running for the Hornets in his first unofficial NBA game on Saturday, throwing a full-court outlet pass for an assist. Um, what. While the Hornets ended a nine-month layoff between games, Ball's break lasted over a year. Ball loves basketball and immediately was in the hornets gym the night after the draft shooting with trainers. Dope: Lamelo Ball Gets A New Rolls Royce As A Gift After Getting Drafted By The Charlotte Hornets! As Ball brings the ball up, he knows that the lane is unoccupied, and his big man is trailing. Until then, LaMelo Ball projects as just a facilitator. Ball's creativity and eagerness to set up teammates will quickly endear him to teammates. He also uses his two-handed push shot while falling out of his stance. Lamelo Ball gets a new Rolls Royce as a gift after getting drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. Ball then uses his eyes to look off the help defender before he drops a perfect no-look bounce pass to the cutter for what should have been an easy layup. However, by completely whiffing on the steal attempt, Ball takes himself out of the play and his opponent an open lane for a floater. He may be the best playmaker in this draft with his vision, accuracy, and touch. There isn't a pass on the floor that Ball doesn't think he can make, and if there is a sliver of an opening, he's going to attempt it. First, Ball is late to commit to the dig and completely misses with a half-hearted swipe at the ball. LaMelo Ball doesn't think his father, LaVar Ball, will get to face Michael Jordan in a one-on-one matchup, but adds, "we know how it would turn out." 197,529 views. 2020-21 NBA schedule: Can't-miss rookie matchups in the first half of the regular season. BROKEN? He will have spurts of effectively jumping passing lanes, but his effort wavers, and his awareness is lacking. For the past few weeks, it has appeared that James Wiseman was the leader in the clubhouse to be the Warriors' selection when they go on the clock Wednesday with the No. Ball's questionable decision making also translates to the defensive end of the floor. “Situational Analysis” is a series of articles that seeks to examine the circumstances that most often influence an NBA prospect’s success. This move freezes the rim defender, convinced he would have to close out to the corner shooter. If there is one thing you can say about LaMelo Ball its that he has a great attitude and work ethic. He could quickly develop into a quality defender if he can be inspired to compete once he's in the NBA with high-level coaching. At no point does he get his feet set or his shoulders squared to the rim. He is one of the most electric playmakers in recent drafts who can make any pass imaginable. In a word, no. In the below clip, Ball shows barely any effort at all. Knowing this, Ball quickly slides the ball from his left to his right hand while staring down his teammate in the corner. He did, however, record a … He made his first half-court shot at 6. The result is an ugly miss. Please check your email for a confirmation. Additionally, Ball's height, length, and instincts have helped him develop into a solid rebounder, 8.7 rebounds per 36 minutes. Not his family’s specific business, but his family’s field of business, so to speak. With Ball's off-ball defense, bad gambles and lack of awareness are common. While one of his biggest offensive concerns is his scoring, he has shown some flash. 2 pick. There are times where Ball does a great job of reading passing lanes and forcing turnovers as he nearly averaged two steals per 36 minutes. Despite not being a good shooter, Ball decides to pull up well behind the three-point line early in the possession. Seemingly everything about LaMelo Ball—from his hair and his signature shoes at 16 years old, to his upbringing competing against players well above his age bracket and his life in front of reality TV cameras—is unconventional. Since Ball isn't aware of his own man's abilities, he gambles on a steal that takes him out of position and creates a bailout opportunity for a post-up that was already well guarded. Also featuring Rocket Watts, Myron Gardner, Isaiah Jackson and more. For reference, this would have ranked last in the NBA by 2%. Per Charlotte-based reporter Sheena Quick, Ball recently purchased a house in the area with a rather famous former owner and athlete Cam Newton. Since the rookies didn't get to experience Summer League with the quick turnaround between the NBA Draft and the start of the 2020-21 regular season, we'll have to use meaningful games to spotlight the prospects' first matchups. LaMelo Ball, Julian Newman and the Grind Session All-Stars had a fun scrimmage today. Ball's creativity and ingenuity are electric when executed properly. LaMelo Ball, selected with the No. Ball is a player who is prone to style over substance. When executed, he creates some of the prettiest highlights you'll see, like the below clip. With Ball's size, he should be able to defend multiple positions. The media circus and hype train have followed LaMelo Ball around since he was a 13-year-old with frosted tips cherry-picking in high school games. As Ball dribbles off the screen, he attacks the hard hedge with a wrap dribble. 2020-21 Averages Full Stats. He is continuously looking to push the ball ahead and score early in the offense. Virginijus Seskus, Melo’s coach at Prienu Vytautas in Lithuania, can only hope his youngest pupil’s basketball IQ will sharpen beyond its current capacity, where “his Jedi range, when not used properly, can often lead to ultra-low shooting percentages and mind-bogglingly bad shots.”. The rare occurrences he locks in, he can force turnovers and cut off drives. The problem with this attempt is Ball's misreading of the situation. I'm not worried about LaMelo's defense, he just needs to consistently hit from deep and he will be fine Marcelo Vieira Brazil national football team Football player Rendering Sport, brazil, soccer player handling ball free png size: 868x1443px filesize: 1.69MB basketball player background, NBA Basketball, Basketball player silhouette free png size: 827x827px filesize: 514.32KB His last game was on Nov. 31, 2019, for the Illawarra Hawks. The draft has come and gone and the Charlotte Hornets added five new rookies to the roster (including one on a two-way deal). LaMelo Ball: high = taller pre-injury Rondo (good guard rebounder, high level distributor, LaMelo probably sees himself more as a scorer, Rondo is assist first and Melo might be score first, needs to actually be engaged/good defensively), high school Shaun Livingston, low = pass first bottom five starting PG (taller early/late career Jeff Teague) As the opponent sets an idle screen, Ball decides to go way under the screen, positioning himself at the free-throw line. His shot selection and shooting inefficiencies are the biggest concern with his game and the most difficult to correct. Ball initially freezes his defender with a crossover dribble. Again, we can see Ball make a questionable steal attempt. Even if the wait was a little longer than expected, the excitement was all the same for LaMelo Ball on Wednesday. To allow his streaking teammate to catch up, Ball slows his dribble and cuts towards the middle of the floor. This season with Illawarra, Ball averaged 7.9 assists per 36 minutes on a team that shot just 31% from three. But it’s Melo’s two-handed push shot that has at once captured the imagination of young hoops heads and led many a coach to cringe at his affront to basketball orthodoxy. He is excellent at weaving between defenders, using his eyes to move defenders, and setting up teammates for an easy score with a well-timed bounce pass or perfectly weighted pass over the top. The below clip is a great and typical example of a shot Ball has no business taking. To do so, Ball takes an extra dribble and stares down his teammate in the corner. LaMelo and Scott then met at Chino Hills’ three-point line to do a handshake before Lonzo jumped to shoulder bump the 6-4 junior. The pass is going back to half-court, so the opponent isn't in a dangerous position. Ball must now defend the post as his man (who is bigger and stronger) tries to post up. Unfortunately, it doesn't translate to his scoring as he has an alarming shot selection, is startled by contact at the rim, and has erratic shooting mechanics. As Ball approaches half-court, he sees his teammate streaking at the top of the video. Ball initially cuts off his opponent's drive twice by sliding his feet well and absorbing the contact, which forces his man to give up the ball. You'll now receive the top Lonzo Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. The issue is that these gambles more frequently put himself and his team's defense in a compromised position. 8h ago Yahoo Sports His rebounding allows him to initiate the team's transition offense more quickly as he can grab and go instead of waiting for the outlet pass. Are you confusing him with Anthony Edwards? Despite the extended layoff, Ball hardly missed a beat, save for his struggles shooting the ball. Ball then drops a perfectly weighted pass over his teammate's shoulder to set up the easy layup. Ball delays long enough where the last defender commits to the player in the corner, altogether abandoning the lane. One of the leading reasons for Ball's impressive assist numbers is how he runs the transition offense. Additionally, Ball's height, length, and instincts have helped him develop into a solid rebounder, 8.7 rebounds per 36 minutes. Go ad-free by supporing Hashtag Basketball on Patreon for $2/mo. Second, Ball is leaving a solid shooter on the wing wide open. It doesn’t hurt, either, that his approach confers the ability to “hit from absurd ranges with minimal effort despite his lack of proficiency in the weight room,” where he lacks the strength to bench press 115 pounds. Ball has good size, elite court vision, a decent shot, and an "It" factor that could make him a star. In his preseason debut on Saturday for the Charlotte Hornets against the Toronto Raptors, LaMelo Ball broke out Puma kicks to rep the brand he recently joined. Ball's inconsistent effort and animosity towards contact also announces itself with his on-ball defense. In his eye-opening profile of LaVar Ball’s youngest son, The Undefeated’s Chris Palmer details how and why LaMelo became the second of his three brothers, after Lonzo Ball, to adopt his far-from-textbook shooting form. As Palmer notes, the two-handed shot gave Melo better ball control and a quicker release—both crucial for a child trying to hold his own against teenagers and, now, grown men. Ball could likely still make the pass if he stared down his big man, but by doing so, Ball's defender would have a much easier chance of getting his hands up to deflect the pass. Two floors above the condo in the same building is Hornets owner Michael Jordan. When his teammates run the floor or cut hard, they get rewarded with easy scoring opportunities. The run-and-gun philosophy Ball grew up on is still evident in his game today. Most of Ball's steals are the product of his enthusiasm to gamble on jumping passing lanes. This lack of effort gives his man a wide-open three that Ball doesn't even bother to contest. LaMelo Ball is on track to be a top selection in the 2020 NBA draft next week, and now it looks like he’s going into the family business. Related News. There are times when digging on a post-up (especially from the weakside) can be useful. He struggles to fight through screens and doesn't commit to staying in a defensive stance. For the latest edition of ESPN Cover Story, reporter Tim Keown charts the unusual global journey of NBA prospect LaMelo Ball. Tags: NBA, Charlotte Hornets, LaMelo Ball. LaMelo Ball is settling in nicely in Charlotte, both on and off the court. LaMelo doesn't have a funky off-the-shoulder release like Lonzo. Lonzo Anderson Ball (born October 27, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). We’re going to take a look at his odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year in the 2020-21 season. In the short term, I hope his defensive troubles are effort and situation-based. In the below clips, we see how Ball will pull up for awkward floaters, be timid against smaller defenders, and try to make his shot fancier instead of finishing with a simple layup. The most famous player in the 2020 NBA Draft is LaMelo Ball, partly due to his basketball ability, but mostly due to the crazy acts of his father, Lavar. While there are flashes of promise with Ball's scoring, it has been a rather dreadful year of shooting for him as he shot just 25% from three on 6.7 attempts per game. After the shoulder bump, Lonzo and LaMelo … In July, Newton listed the condo for $2.9 million. LaMelo Ball is considered by many to be the top prospect in the 2020 draft, but he is divisive. The Charlotte Hornets selected guard LaMelo Ball with the third overall pick in the draft. He identifies his teammate streaking towards the corner and his big man running to fill the lane. Two top prospects, LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, moved across the world to play there and prepare themselves for next year. https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2018/03/08/heres-why-lamelo-ball-shoots-the-ball-with-two-hands/, Kyle Kuzma takes Laker Troll Wars back to LaMelo Ball's Instagram, WATCH: LaMelo Ball buries three-pointer, stares down Raptors bench, Lonzo Ball to start for Pelicans in preseason opener against Miami Heat, Josh Hart discusses Lonzo Ball's improvement in Pelicans training camp, LaVar Ball calls Detroit Pistons 'raggedy as hell' after team waives LiAngelo Ball, Stan Van Gundy expects to play Pelican starters 30 minutes in preseason opener, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Posted By DMitchell. He played his sophomore year at… basketball, Basketball player Wall decal Sport, Basketball game free png size: 652x485px filesize: 213.48KB His complete aversion to contact results in him taking much more difficult shots than he needs to. Controversy has surrounded LaMelo Ball since about the time the Ball family came on the scene. Ball does a great job of fighting through contact, denying the entry pass, and winning the hand fight, which forces the offense to waste time and look elsewhere. Plays like these are why I get so critical and frustrated with Ball's horrific defensive possessions. The Hornets selected elite PG LaMelo Ball with the No. LaMelo Ball is one of the best playmakers in recent years. Uploaded November 20, 2020. His last game was on Nov. 31, 2019, for the Illawarra Hawks. Each player will be scored on a scale from 1-10 in four different categories: NBA-specific skill(s), fatal flaw(s), collegiate/overseas/pre-NBA environment, and ideal NBA ecosystem. He has terrific size for a point guard at 6-foot-7 and plenty of time to improve at just 19 years old. LaMelo Ball said he was born to be the number 1 pick in last night’s NBA draft, now he might have a chip on his shoulder. As we can see below, once Ball secures the rebound, he immediately has his head up to analyze the floor. The divisive point guard has as good a case as any to be the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Minnesota is in poll position. Does LaMelo Ball Fit With The Timberwolves? The touch and creativity Ball has on his passes also translates to his scoring, primarily his floaters. While he's making waves with the Hornets both in training camp and preseason action, he's also making moves away from the court. Ball then fires a no-look pass to his big man in stride, completely fooling the defender and catching him with his hands down. Ball then knows that he wants to get the ball back to the screener, but he needs to dispatch the defender under the rim. Ball's eagerness to run in transition has created a two-on-four situation where they shouldn't have any chance of a quick score. One night prior on Thursday, Kyle Kuzma also wore the Clyde All-Pro shoes in the Lakers' preseason debut against the Clippers while Danny Green wore them in his Sixers debut. Sign up for the Lonzo Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. When he wants to, he can be a good defender who can guard multiple positions. ... LaMelo Ball isn't a perfect prospect, but he may be the most fun to watch. LaMelo Ball made his preseason debut for the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Ball's problematic shot selection is also evident when he attacks the rim. NBA Rookie of the Year odds LaMelo Ball: +400. In the case of LaMelo’s unique shooting motion, the powers it bestows may be what gets him into the NBA when he’s eligible for the draft in 2020. Import Yahoo & Fantrax leagues and analyze them with our free tools. Ball's older brother Lonzo was the second pick of the 2017 draft, but it's LaMelo who has the higher upside. Once Ball is surrounded by NBA level shooters, expecting his assist averages to climb closer towards double digits isn't unreasonable. In the below clip, Ball tries to intercept a pass he has no chance at and shouldn't be going for in the first place. Like what you've read? He has advanced vision for an 18-year-old, he can see over the top of most defenses as a 6'7" and can make every pass with either hand. By 7 he was hitting them regularly. According to WearTesters, the Clyde All-Pros are the third model in the Clyde cycle, following the Clyde Hardwood and Clyde Court. is an 18-year-old guard from Chino Hills, California, who averaged… Since then, Ball has played overseas in Lithuania and Australia, grown to 6'7, and developed a skill set that could make him the first pick in the draft. Despite his excellent touch, the struggles range from his dismal shot selection to his erratic mechanics to his complete aversion to contact. Despite the extended layoff, Ball hardly missed a beat, save for his struggles shooting the ball. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Ball then drops a perfectly weighted pass over his teammate's shoulder to set up the easy layup. Ball's assists total may have been low, but they were memorable. While some may think his hype is derived from his brother's success and his father's antics, he has earned every bit of it with his impressive playmaking and potential versatility. Meet the top 60 prospects of the 2020 NBA Draft. Not surprisingly, the shot’s origins are rooted in the Big Baller’s insistence that his “Wild Boy” play up rather than have everything brought down to his level: LaVar had LaMelo shooting with a regulation basketball on a 10-foot rim at as young as 4 years old. LaMelo Ball isn't a perfect prospect, but he may be the most fun to watch. Just wait until LaMelo Ball shows up at Chino Hills – Los Angeles Times/Eric Sondheimer: 08/05/2014; PHENOMenology: LaMelo Ball might be as dominant a middle school prodigy as you know who – USA Today/Cam Smith: 09/07/2014; Chino Hills is ready to turn up the pressure in Division I playoffs – Los Angeles Times/Eric Sondheimer: 03/12/2015 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, despite feeling born to shoulder that pressure.Golden State surprised few by nabbing James Wiseman with the No. LaMelo fell behind Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman. He has the skill and intelligence to do so; he just needs to be willing to work. If he can improve his decision making and effort on both ends, he could end up as the best player in this draft. Since he hardly had the dexterity or strength to shoot a textbook 3-pointer, he had to get under the ball and push it with two hands. Ball wore the Puma Clyde All-Pro sneaker, one of the featured basketball sneakers for Puma. LaMelo Ball is currently a seventeen year old point guard for the Spire Institute basketball team. Ball, who spent last season with the Illawarra Hawks in Australia, announced Friday that he is launching his own clothing line, entitled LaFrance. The below clip is an excellent example of Ball defending multiple actions, playing hard, and positioning himself well. Ball's final stat line off the bench was zero points on 0-of-5 shooting from the field and 0-of-3 shooting from deep, four assists, 10 rebounds and four turnovers. Even though Ball is frustrating to watch on defense, there are moments when he locks in and can be a good defender. There’s no telling exactly when those habits will be broken, if they ever are. Lonzo was also seen before the draft as not putting effort on defense but he picked it up quickly. 1 overall to the T-Wolves. Points 0 PPG Assists 0 APG Rebounds 0 RPG Field Goals 0 FG% Statistics The Latest Team Members Shop Jersey Guard # 1. Ball immediately has his head up looking for his teammates. Share it with your friends on, Everything You Need To Know About LaMelo Ball, Fantasy Basketball Points League Rankings. LaMelo Ball said he was born to be the number 1 pick in last night’s NBA draft, now he might have a chip on his shoulder. He's a pure shooter like Lonzo, but with decent form, despite a wandering right elbow from time to time. LaMelo fell behind Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman. That power figures to come in time, as LaMelo’s body matures from that of a teen to one of a young man. This mindset frequently leads to highlight plays but also creates some head-scratching decisions. Like his brother, LaMelo has poor shooting fundamentals. 2020 NBA Draft: LaMelo Ball, RJ Hampton & the NBL by Adam Spinella. LaMelo Ball remains the biggest mystery in this year's NBA draft. He was not the No. This move attracts the initial defender, which clears up the lane for the cutter. Besides showing no desire to initiate the offense, Ball also shows his sloppy mechanics. LaMelo Ball. Ball instead whips a behind the back no-look pass to the screener for an easy dunk. The defense is late to rotate on the cutting big man, but the real defensive threat is Ball's primary defender. Going forward, LaMelo Ball could be one of the more polarizing prospects in this draft. Here we can see how Ball's understanding of how to move defenders with his eyes can set up effortless scoring opportunities. The only problem is the defender positioned between the two. The younger Ball spent part of last season playing professionally in Australia. At one point last week, there was growing belief that Ball would go No. He played college basketball for one season with the UCLA Bruins, earning consensus first-team All-American honors before the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the second overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. We hate spam as much as you do, so rest assured the only time we'll ever be getting in contact with you is when we add new content to the website. Ball averaged 17.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists over those two games but shot 31.7% from the field and 16.7% from 3. Receive email alerts when we add new content to the website about the NBA Draft. … LaMelo played his freshman year with his two older brothers, Lonzo and LiAngelo, at Chino High School. His full-court, one-handed assist to... Start every day with our most popular content waiting in your inbox. His ceiling would skyrocket to potentially make All-NBA teams if he can improve his decision-making and effort. Mystical playmaking like this is what has captivated imaginations of the type of player Ball can develop into. He spends his childhood attempting to maintain up together with his older siblings, taking part in towards their This delay also allows his big man to get closer to the rim, so he doesn't have to put the ball on the floor. This move allows the big man to catch up. The condo has three bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and is 3,335 square feet. (Think an NBA player heaving from 75 feet.). Ball's dazzling playmaking isn't limited to just the transition game. LaMelo Ball conducted an individual, in-person workout for the Timberwolves on Wednesday in Southern California, sources tell Jonathan Givony of ESPN. With under a week to go until Wednesday's NBA draft, LaMelo Ball worked out for the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons … LaMelo Ball, Vernon Carey Jr, Nick Richards, Grant Riller, and Nate Darling are all now a part of the Hornets franchise. The newborn brother is meant to be the perfect. Like we see below, Ball has the skill to execute unorthodox floaters from unusual ranges and his off foot.