LaMelo Ball of the Illawarra Hawks was named the National Basketball League Rookie of the Year on Sunday during an awards ceremony in Australia.
The 18-year-old averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, seven assists and 1.7 steals in 12 games this season with the Hawks, while he shot 37.3% from the field and 24.3% from 3-point range. Ball became the first player in the 40-minute era to have consecutive triple-doubles in the NBL.
Ball missed a significant portion of the season after suffering a foot injury during a practice in November. His season was shut down in January after the team concluded he would not be ready to play again before the end of the season.
LaMelo Ball is the #NBL20 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR! 🙌
Congratulations LaMelo, Angus & Sam on the nomination.#FlyAsOne x @MELOD1P pic.twitter.com/zCpcVoPj4O
— Illawarra Hawks (@IllawarraHawks) February 16, 2020
After his season in the NBL, Ball is widely considered to be a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In the latest Rookie Wire 2020 NBA Mock Draft, Ball is projected to be taken with the No. 1 pick by the Golden State Warriors.
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