Lamelo Ball: 2020 Scouting Report

Lamelo Ball has been in the spotlight since an extremely young age, now he has a chance to prove why. 

Bio and Measurables:

Strengths: Ball has had an unusual path to becoming a top pick in the NBA but he has found himself at the top of the lottery because his ability on the court is undeniable. The most prominent skill that Ball possess is his passing ability, with an AST/TOV ratio of over 2.5 it is clear that he has no problem passing the basketball with efficiency. He also has the basketball IQ to take calculated risks when passing the ball in traffic. It is not just that Lamelo can make the “safe” passes or find the open man on the wing, he has the ability to create offense for the other players on the court while playing at full speed. He often uses both hands to thread the needle, connecting on passes that will have many thinking he has eyes in the back of his head. His 6-7 frame allows him to rebound effectively and expands his court vision giving him an advantage over other, smaller, guards. As a finisher Lamelo has shown that he has the ability to finish around the rim with both hands and has no problem changing course when laying the ball up in the air. Even though he may start a layup coming downhill on, for example, the left side he has no problem going up and under the basket to finish on the right side. In the air, he is an acrobat. Both his passing and finishing ability combined with height uncommon for a point guard makes him a dual threat in the pick and roll. The success of any PNR play relies on keeping defenders guessing if the ball handler will finish or pass to the roller. With the skills Ball possess he should be able to find time on the floor through his passing and pick and roll ability. Lamelo also has shown NBA range while playing in the NBL. Even though the league’s three point line is only 22 feet, while the NBA range is 23 ft 9 in, he was extremely comfortable taking shots well beyond the NBL arc. These skills are the reason Ball has seemed to justify the hype he has been given since Lonzo was playing at Chino Hills.

Weaknesses: For everything that Lamelo can give a team on the offensive end don’t expect anywhere near the same type of production or effort on the defensive end. As mentioned, it seems half the battle with Lamelo on defense is that he does not want to give the effort it takes to defend his man. He has notoriously only played one side of the ball since he entered highschool and has showed no consistency to improve. While he does show flashes, using his length to pick off passing lanes, his size and lack of lateral quickness make it hard for him to defend his own position. Lamelo was consistently beat off the dribble in the NBL which raises an even larger question mark when rising to the next level. Furthermore, statistically, Ball was the worst PNR defender in the entire NBL. Ball actually defended the PNR so poorly that he found himself in a percentile lower than one. On the offensive end even though Ball has shown flashes of greatness with his passing and finishing ability he also shown a lack of discipline when taking shots behind the three point line. Shooting 25% in the NBL from three, Ball forced long shots toward the basket on multiple occasions. This lack of discipline may have been acceptable in the NBL but if he continues to make poor shooting decisions at the next level he may struggle to find minutes on the court. Lamelo also struggles to get the first step around defenders which leads to overdribbling, enabling his poor shooting decisions. Instead of using his size to try to back down a defender and use his height in a turnaround jumpshot Ball lacks any type of post game making it hard to find offense outside of the paint or behind the arc.

External Factors: Ball has had a one in a million journey to draft night. The fame his family gained during his early high school years, with Lonzo’s rise to prominence, made it impossible for him to be able to play NCAA basketball because of the money he was earning. When his family decided that it would be best for him to play overseas, Lithuania felt like a publicity stunt more than a basketball move. As expected his time in Lithuania was short and he eventually found himself in the NBL which is a prominent overseas league. Even though he was playing against top international talent, scouts missed the opportunity to be able to compare him to his peers in the NCAA.

Medical History: Lamelo only played 12 games in the NBL after making the decision to sit out the rest of the season with a lingering foot injury. The injury has not hurt his draft stock and seems to have been a precautionary measure. Outside of this, he has had no other major injury history during his playing career.

Summary: The mystery surrounding Lamelo Ball is as great, if not greater than, the hype. It is no secret that Lamelo has been NBA bound since he first started playing but just how well he will play at the next level remains to be seen. To succeed at the next level he needs to commit to playing both sides of the floor. Even though he has shown that he can pass and finish at the rim, at a professional level, the liability he brings to the defensive side of the ball could become a major issue if not addressed. Especially if his production on the offensive end does not mirror or exceed his NBL numbers. Lamelo will need to grow his game in an NBA system and if he is an overall minus when on the floor he will never get the minutes he needs to improve his defense, shot selection or develop a post game making it that much harder to succeed at the next level. It is also no secret that the NBA has began to move toward a higher volume of PNR offense which is both an advantage and disadvantage for Ball. As an offensive player he possess the vision and finishing ability to frustrate defenders in the PNR. However, at the defensive end, if Ball was the worst PNR defender in the NBL you could assume he will continue to struggle at the next level. It is clear why scouts are split on Lamelo Ball as a prospect. For everything he can bring to the team on the offensive end he almost negates his ability due to his struggles on defense. Overall, Ball has the size and potential to become a starting NBA point guard and if he can clean up his defense or even give consistent effort he will be a staple in the league for years to come.