Timberwolves draft profile: LaMelo Ball

Winter is approaching and the days are getting shorter. That means the 2020 NBA season is almost here!

Due to the redone 2020 season schedule, the NBA draft will be held Nov. 18 while the 2020-21 season will begin Dec. 22.

The Minnesota Timberwolves own two picks in the first round: the top overall selection as well as No. 17. Who might they be interested in at No. 1?

In this edition, we take a look at Australian National Basketball League’s Illawarra point guard LaMelo Ball.

OVERVIEW

Ball is native of Chino Hills, Calif., and the younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball. He played at Chino Hills High School during his freshman and sophomore years before LaMelo, who was just 16, and his older brother LiAngelo left to play for Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League in December 2017. That was just a short stint because in May of 2018 he joined the Los Angeles Ballers of the Junior Basketball Association, a league, now defunct, that was created by his father LaVar.

Ball eventually returned to the U.S. prep basketball scene when he joined the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio in November 2018. He finished his senior season there and was rated a five-star recruit and 23rd-best player of the 2019 class by 247 Sports.

Instead of playing in college, Ball signed with the Illiwarra Hawks of the National Basketball League in Australia. In 12 games, he averaged 17 points, 6.8 assists and 7.6 rebounds per game with the Hawks but did so with 16.7 field-goal attempts per game, hitting 37.5% from the floor and 25% from deep. Ball was named the 2019-20 NBL Rookie of the Year.

Ball turned 19 years old on Aug. 22.

COMBINE

After doing a media session, Ball withdrew from the NBA combine.

MEASURABLES (via nba.com)

Height: 6-foot-7

Weight: 190 pounds

FILM ROOM

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“LaMelo Ball is a top prospect in the 2020 Draft class and shows truly special natural instincts as an overall playmaker with the ball … There will be a host of teams picking in the top half of the lottery looking for his services, and they will be getting a player who will walk into the NBA with the skill set to put up a triple double statline on any given night…You rarely find guards who have the type of size and talent Ball possesses, though he does have some things to work on in terms of perimeter shooting efficiency and overall defensive presence … Still, his basketball instincts, physical gifts and fun-to-watch style of play will make him a favorite to be selected as the top pick in the draft.”– Jorrye Nixon, NBAdraft.net

“LaMelo Ball is a flashy play-maker who brings a ton of excitement to the game. He isn’t blessed with great athleticism but his advanced skill level makes up for his athletic shortcomings and his size for position is a big plus. Ball is a crowd-pleaser with his deep range and flashy passing. He plays with great pace and keeps the defense on its heels with how he pushes the ball up the court and makes plays off the dribble.” – NBA Draft Room

Is LaMelo Ball (@MELOD1P) the answer for the #Timberwolves at No. 1 overall? ?

Here’s a scouting report by @Stadium’s @GoodmanHoops.

Read ➡️ https://t.co/H0ZPhSgApN pic.twitter.com/nxyh59iasG

— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) November 16, 2020

“Passes like he’s on the Harlem Globetrotters, and it somehow works; he needs to dramatically improve his scoring efficiency, but he has the upside to become one of the NBA’s best playmakers.” – Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer

“I still strongly believe Ball has the most upside as a shot creator in this class, which is why he sits at No. 1. Getting star creators is the single most important thing you can find. To me, Ball has the most upside. I get that some think Edwards, some think even Killian Hayes is in that mix. But Ball’s live-dribble game as a passer and his ability to gain separation is much stronger than anyone else in this class. The shot is a question, as is the defense. But I’d take the plunge and bet on Ball.” – Sam Vecenie, The Athletic

HOW HE FITS

Ball’s court vision, playmaking ability and length make him such an intriguing prospect. He is taller than the average guard so he can shoot over them but is also athletic enough to regularly get to the hoop. His passing skills are remarkable for his age and that natural ability should only improve once he is in the NBA. There are worries about his shooting but some of that is a product of how often he took shots in the NBL, which he won’t be allowed to do in the NBA, especially if he plays with Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell in Minnesota. It appears teams are interested in him, which could make the Timberwolves’ top pick more valuable if they want to engage in the trade market.