Many have criticized and broken down LaMelo Ball’s game not just over the last year but for essentially the entirety of his time in the spotlight at a very young age. But over the last year, specifically, as Ball has neared the 2020 NBA Draft, his game has gone under a larger microscope.
Everyone looking under the microscope may not always see the same thing. As appears to be the case with Seth Greenberg during an interview on Thursday with the New York Post.
Greenberg, a college basketball analyst for ESPN, was tasked with discussing the options at point guard available to the New York Knicks in the upcoming NBA Draft. Of a group at the top of the draft that includes LaMelo Ball, Cole Anthony, Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton and Killian Hayes, Greenberg tabbed Haliburton as the best of the group.
When asked for his thoughts on Ball, Greenberg had the following to say:
“LaMelo is a freak with his size, vision and speed. But he doesn’t shoot it well and his decision-making is not great in terms of shot selection. His creativity is at another level.
“But I think LaMelo in New York would either be feast or famine. I’d only draft LaMelo in New York if there was a promise LaVar wouldn’t come with him. If you have a new Knick front office, do you want to deal with that? The second-guessing from a guy who doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He’s a disaster.”
The on-court scouting report, while brief, is pretty spot-on for Ball. The off-court concerns, though, remain an easy excuse that isn’t how NBA teams view the situation. Neither the Pelicans nor the Lakers were scared off by LaVar when it came to Lonzo, nor were the countless teams linked to Lonzo in trade rumors.
Likewise, teams won’t be scared off drafting a player like LaMelo because of LaVar. And any team that might would have a front office opening or two once Ball flourishes.
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