Why a Small Market Drafting Lamelo Ball could be the worst thing for it

Lamelo Ball is easily a top three pick in the 2020 draft, and by far the most hyped prospect. From playing high school basketball for Chino Hills with older brother and NBA player Lonzo Ball to dropping out of high school and playing professional basketball in Lithuania, Lamelo Ball’s journey to the NBA has been interesting to say the least.

If you don’t know already, Lamelo’s father is Lavar Ball, a marketing genius. He founded his own clothing brand called the Big Baller Brand, and even started his own basketball league as an alternate route to the NCAA, called the JBA, standing for Junior Basketball Association.

Lavar Ball has made a fortune of his “antics,” often going on ESPN and saying things such as his oldest son, Lonzo Ball, is better than Steph Curry. He also stated that he was better than Micheal Jordan, infuriating Stephen A Smith. His exact words were, “In my heyday, he would need help.”

Now Lavar is very influential in his son’s lives, especially their basketball lives. He trained them in basketball since they could walk, and the results have paid off. With that being said, as nice as Lamelo Ball is or seems, his dad is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. His dad was the one that pulled him out of high school and homeschooled him, as well as brought him back to high school basketball and to SPIRE Academy for his senior year.

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Not only that, there’s a chance that Lamelo Ball isn’t the prospect that he’s hyped to be. Sure, he is one of the most exciting players in the NBA Draft, but he got by because he could shoot 20-30 shots a game and had defensive aces on his team. On his Chino Hills team his sophomore year, when he took roughly 30 shots a game, he had Onyeka Okongwu, who is a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, playing defense in the paint. In Australia, Lamelo Ball shot 25% from three and often didn’t play defense unless it suited him. He also often appeared to be uninterested in defense and lacked a competitive fire like so many NBA greats have.

This is a big red flag for all teams involved, and his game really needs some development. Combine his lack of defensive presence with his high shot count, low shooting percentage, and a dad who’s all about marketing, and it doesn’t add up to the best package for a small market NBA team. Unless Lamelo can play his style of game (most teams probably won’t let him), he will be a disaster for most teams. That’s why the only real fit I can see for him is Charlotte, where he could shoot as many shots as he wants since Charlotte doesn’t really have “the guy” that they can turn to. I don’t see him going #1 to Minnesota.

But what do you guys think? Will Lamelo Ball be a draft bust or Rookie of the Year? How do you think his career will turn out? Comment down below, don’t forget to follow the blog, and as always, have an awesome day!