LiAngelo Ball will be among the players hoping to be selected at the NBA Draft in June. The 6'5, 19-year old brother of Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball declared for the draft last month, and he is expected to participate in the Pro Basketball Combine at IMG Academy in May once he returns from Lithuania.
However, it looks like the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to get a closer look at LiAngelo before the Pro Basketball Combine next month. Or maybe they're just trying to appease his father, LaVar.
According to Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas, Lakers scouts were in Lithuania for a recent game to watch LiAngelo Ball and Tadas Sedekerskis. Ball scored 12 points, including 3 for 3 from behind the arc, in 18 minutes of action.
A few months back LaVar Ball told Urbonas that his oldest son, Lonzo, will not resign with the Lakers if they don't take LiAngelo and LaMelo as well.
“I want all my three boys to play for the Lakers. But if that does not happen. I’m telling you the story what’s gonna happen first. If they don’t take Gelo this year, I bring back Gelo here (Prienai) to play with Melo for two years. Lonzo will be on his third year and I want let every NBA team know that Lonzo is not going to re-sign with the Lakers but will go to any team that will take all of my three boys. That’s my plan.”
In December, following the shoplifting scandal, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said that Ball "has no chance that he'll be drafted in June — and that was true before his shoplifting incident in China." An NBA GM reportedly told ESPN, "He's not on any of our scouting lists — even the extended lists."