Andrew Bogut was one of a handful of people that had the opportunity to see LaMelo Ball up close last season. In fact, Bogut was one of a smaller handful of people that actually played on the same court as Ball last season in the NBL. And even smaller yet, only a very, very small handful of players have experience playing in both the NBA and NBL.
Bogut’s unique blend of experiences makes him particularly capable of a scouting report on Ball as heads into the 2020 NBA Draft. On a recent episode of Locked on Warriors, host Wes Goldberg had a conversation with Bogut on a number of topics, including Ball’s prospects in the NBA.
“I think he has a chance to a great pro mainly (because of) his playmaking ability. I think when we played him, he seemed to make the right decisions every time down the floor. His passing is probably the No. 1 aspect of his game so I think he’s a pure point guard in the way Jason Kidd used to be. He’s that kind of mold. I don’t see him as a big-time scorer. I think he’s more going to be a Jason Kidd, Rajon Rondo, that type of player.
“I think, obviously, he’s talented on the offensive end, just needs to step up defensively. But he’s a young kid that probably hasn’t been taught defensive principles at 18, 19 years old so you have to give him the benefit of the doubt on that. It seems like he’s a good listener. He’ll definitely improve in that aspect but obviously the thing he needs to improve on the most is his defense. I think, like I said, six months…in an NBA system with some good coaching will clean up a lot of his deficiencies on that end.”
In March, Bogut spoke in an interview with a San Francisco radio station about Ball and gave a similar scouting report. In that interview, he didn’t express the same kind of optimism about Ball’s defense, one of the few to do so.
For many, that is one of Ball’s biggest weaknesses, along with his shooting struggles. Bogut’s optimism isn’t entirely unfounded. While Lonzo Ball didn’t have quite the concerns about his defense coming into the league, he certainly wasn’t projected to be the above-average defender he has become in the league.
However, once he entered the league, Lonzo flourished defensively as his high basketball IQ and improved frame helped him find success. If LaMelo can find the same success, he could quickly fit the mold of a Jason Kidd or Rajon Rondo, as Bogut suggests.