LaMelo Ball may be a quiet figure on the outside but stories of his self-confidence and belief have been shared many times over. While his father LaVar certainly boasts loudly about how confident he is, LaMelo opts to show it on the court, most memorably in the form of his half-court three-point attempts.
One of the best stories about Ball’s confidence came from Matt Flinn, Illawarra Hawks head coach. In an interview with Australia GQ, Flinn revealed that prior to a game this season, he pulled Ball aside to discuss some last-minute strategy which led to a great one-liner from Ball.
“I wouldn’t bet against him. The kid’s got such self-belief. I’ll tell you a story. We’re playing Adelaide and just before we run out, I grab LaMelo. I tell him he’s going to face this particular guard. ‘Just back up and go at him, he won’t be able to stay in front of you,’ I tell him. LaMelo replies, ‘Yeah, him and everyone else in the world,’ then runs out on the court.”
From a story-telling perspective, it’s unfortunate that Ball finished with only 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting in that game, but did drop a gorgeous highlight-reel assist. The Hawks lost the game 98-92 but the story will certainly add to the folklore of Ball’s self-confidence.