LaMelo Ball is now sitting near the top of NBA draft boards following his performance at the NBL Blitz pre-season tournament in Tasmania.
In ESPN's latest 2020 NBA mock draft, the 6'7 point guard has moved all the way up to No. 3, behind only Georgia Bulldogs shooting guard Anthony Edwards and Memphis Tigers center James Wiseman. Ball was previously ranked in the 20s, but his recent action with the Illawarra Hawks have scouts believing he could be the No. 1 overall selection next June.
According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, NBA scouts and executives have been quite impressed with Ball's play thus far, including one who compared his talent to Dallas Mavericks' stud Luka Doncic.
"If he keeps this up, I don't see any way he isn't in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick," one NBA executive told ESPN. "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."
"He reminds me of Luka Doncic," another scout said. "Just in terms of his size, his feel and his creativity."
The 18-year old brother of New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball flirted with a triple-double against the defending champion Perth Wildcats, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Damian Martin, as he posted 19 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists.
Ball's first NBL game with the Illawarra Hawks will come on October 6 as they take on the Brisbane Bullets. That game, as well as other Hawks matchups, will be streamed via Facebook Live.