Strengths: A physically gifted lead guard prospect with plenty to like in terms of his potential fit into the NBA, as he’s a rangy 6’8 perimeter player with the frame to become even more imposing as he packs on muscle … A wizard with the ball in his hands with elite ball handling and passing ability … He projects as more of a combo or point guard, but due to his frame he should easily be able to defend some SFs as he gains strength and experience, adding to his intrigue as a prospect … On top of his size, he is also a very coordinated athlete with great body control and agility … A rangy strider, Ball is also capable of playing above the rim; particularly when he has a head of steam, and he has shown the ability to leap off of one or both feet … Has the ability to be a real triple double threat on a nightly basis, in addition to his scoring and passing potential … Ball also has the size and instincts to be a factor on the glass (nearly 8 rpg in the Australian NBL in 2019) … A highly imaginative, instinctive and creative playmaker, Ball applies pressure on the defense because he has an assortment of moves in his arsenal … Adept at reading the defense while on the move, knowing when to pass or shoot … An excellent ball-handler who has a natural feel for setting up defenders with misdirection moves and change of pace dribble combos to get into the lane and create for himself and others … May be the best player in this draft at reading on-ball and help defense simultaneously when operating in pick and roll offense, and he has shown the ability to make flashy pocket passes on the move, as well as an ever-improving ability to finish through or around contact with either hand near the rim … Reads the floor well with the ball in his hands, and constantly breaks down the defense with his initial moves off the bounce … A pretty flamboyant prospect with a big persona, likes to make the highlight reel play and over time should inject excitement into the fan base of whatever team he lands on … Excellent court vision as you’d expect from a lead guard with his type of size, able to thread the needle and has been known to lead teammates to easy shots near the rim by  “passing them open” … Rewards teammates for moving without the ball (6.8 apg in the Australian NBL in 2019) … Keeps his eyes up and also does a nice job of not telegraphing what he wants to do or where he’s going to go with the ball … Does a very good job of feeding the “hot hand”, an uncommonly unselfish player for such a ballyhooed prospect … Would flourish in an up-tempo system, looks to push the ball and make splash plays in the open court as often as he can while also showing some ability to trail and hit spot up 3s … Has an effective floater already, has shown good touch as well as improved footwork and accuracy in the past 2 seasons by leaping off of 2 feet instead of 1 on his mid-range shots … Has shown some raw shot-making ability from the perimeter throughout his amateur and international career, and has frequently shown that he can put up points in bunches from all over the court … Has decent shooting touch and should continue to improve as a spot-up marksman … Very confident player, rarely ever seems in over his head or afraid of taking important shots … Has shown a few exciting flashes as a ball thief and help defender, and could even factor as a shot-blocker on the perimeter and near the rim against wings with his size, quick hands and keen anticipation … His experience playing pro ball will help his adjustment to the NBA somewhat, particularly in terms of physicality and his understanding of help defense … Also has had the benefit of being able to watch his older brother, 2017 lottery pick Lonzo Ball, and his pre-draft process as well as his early development as a professional to learn how to navigate through the rigors and grind of the draft process and ultimately NBA seasons …

Weaknesses: His overall jump shot lacks any real consistency at the moment, and just like his older brother that can likely be attributed to his highly unorthodox shooting form … His release point is low, somewhere between his chin and his chest, and he shoots a set shot with below average elevation, leading to plenty of flat shots and bad misses whether open or contested (25% from 3point range on 6 attempts per game in 2019) … His mediocre FT shooting (72%) points to him potentially becoming a reasonably efficient shooter in time, but he’s a work in progress …. Ball’s shot selection will also need to improve, as he made just enough deep shots to both keep the defense honest, as well as justify (mostly to himself) that he should at times hoist low percentage shots off the dribble from all over the court … While a pretty good athlete, he is more smooth than dynamic and will only sporadically try to play above the rim in the half court … Should continue to add weight and strength to his improving frame, as he currently gets outmuscled by players with similar size on both ends of the court … Has some experience playing off the ball, but clearly is more effective making plays with the ball in his hands … At times can be turnover prone looking to make the home-run play when a simpler play is available … Doesn’t show any real consistent toughness or effort defensively, mostly interested in jumping passing lanes for run outs or trying to swipe for steals … Rarely stays alert or in a stance for full defensive possessions, has issues fighting through screens and may struggle to defend quicker PGs as a young pro … Seems like the type of player who will be asked to defend the other team’s worst perimeter scorer as he develops, but his defensive versatility (and effectiveness) could improve as he gets stronger and shows more awareness, largely due to his physical tools … There have been whispers that some teams may see Ball’s more nonchalant approach as a player as a questionable investment for a potential franchise player and top draft choice, though his improvement over the past few years seems to point to a determined, hard working young player …

Overall: 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 11/9/20