The method to LaVar Ball's madness is starting to reveal itself as all eyes are focused on LaMelo Ball and his progression.
NBA scouts converged on Tasmania to watch Ball participate in the National Basketball League's Blitz preseason tournament. Ball impressed the scouts with his dominance and he's now the No. 3 prospect in ESPN's mock 2020 NBA draft. Although he's already a lottery pick, one unnamed executive told ESPN that it's possible Ball could become the most coveted player in next year's draft.
"If he keeps this up, I don't see any way he isn't in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick," the insider said. "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." Another scout went on to compare Ball to NBA Rookie of the Year Luka Dončić.
The biggest question marks surrounding Ball heading into this season with the NBL are his shooting form/shot selection, body language, as well as the fame constructed by his father and the Big Baller Brand. While making any corrections to his game is simple, Ball admits that BBB might have casted him in a negative light. But, he feels as though his true personality will shine through.
"I just need to be myself," Ball said when asked about his family's off-court drama. "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."
In addition to adjusting the scout's attitude about his family, LaMelo is expected to grow during his time in Australia and increase his athleticism. These two things will only increase his upside to NBA front offices.
