Heading into the 2017 NBA Draft, Markelle Fultz was seen as the clear cut No. 1 prospect, so much so that the Philadelphia 76ers memorably moved up in the draft to select him. While most considered Lonzo Ball to be the top of the second tier of prospects, none saw him as a better prospect than Fultz.
Except the New York Knicks.
Fultz’s career has certainly played out far differently than expected, but it still doesn’t change how the prospects were viewed coming into the draft. A recent piece by Marc Berman of the New York Post revealed that the Knicks were the outlier, ranking Ball over Fultz.
“The Knicks revered the playmaking point guard in the 2017 draft and rated him higher on their board than No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz. The Knicks were willing to put up with his eccentric father, LaVar Ball. After his coach-killing behavior in Los Angeles, LaVar behaved after his son was traded to New Orleans.”
In hindsight, Ball has become a more productive professional than Fultz but that is chalked up to the latter’s mysterious injury and tenure in Philadelphia. Ball himself had a rocky start to his time in Los Angeles before settling into his new role in New Orleans this season.
The Knicks, meanwhile, have continued falling further and further out of contention. In 2017, the Knicks settled for another point guard in Frank Ntilikina and have featured in the lottery each of the last two seasons.
But the Knicks are again linked to another Ball brother that is a point guard in LaMelo this year. This time around, though, the decision isn’t as obvious and the Knicks being highest on this Ball wouldn’t be quite as big a surprise.
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