Tag: Illawarra Hawks

5-star guard AJ Johnson decommits from Texas, going pro in Australia

According to Wojnarowski, Johnson has signed a deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian NBL.

The Texas Longhorns mens basketball team suffered a significant loss on Wednesday when Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN reported Southern California Academy (Calif.) five-star combo guard AJ Johnson has decommitted from Texas and instead will be going pro.

According to ESPN’s report, Johnson has signed a deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian NBL.

After the news went public, Johnson told 247Sports that the more improvised and free-flowing pro game better suits his style:

“The college environment is a bit more controlled and about X’s and O’s and not as much about playing off of feel and freedom… I feel like I thrive in more of an up and down system, getting up more shots and playing off feel but you are also still playing off of actions and stuff like that. I also want to get started on my professional career and taking it more serious so that I can really lock in on the game and try to be the best player I can be.”

According to the consensus rankings, Johnson (6-foot-5, 160 pounds) is No. 5 among combo guards, third overall in the state of California and No. 18 nationally in the recruiting class of 2023.

Johnson will aim to take a similar path to the NBA as LaMelo Ball, who played one season in the Australian league before going No. 3 overall to the Charlotte Hornets in 2020.

For now, ESPN’s mock draft has Johnson coming off the board at No. 14.

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Former Illawarra head coach Matt Flinn believes LaMelo Ball is Rookie of the Year

LaMelo Ball’s former head coach at the Illawarra Hawks Matt Flinn believes he is the Rookie of the Year in the NBA this season.

One of the few coaches to have an extended time with LaMelo Ball in recent years is former Illawarra Hawks head coach Matt Flinn. Last season, Flinn coached Ball in their lone season as coach and player in the NBL.

Throughout the season and after, Flinn spoke highly not of Ball’s talent level but his personality and mentality as part of the program. Flinn lasted one season as head coach as the Hawks underwent wholesale changes from ownership down.

Nonetheless, Flinn’s experiences with Ball did not change, and he recently spoke to Sports Max at length about Ball’s first season in the NBA. Among the more notable quotes he gave included his thoughts as to whether Ball should be the Rookie of the Year even if he misses the rest of the season with his wrist injury.

“I might be biased but I really hope so. He is a once-in-a-generation player for the NBA,” added Flinn, who said Ball would be devastated following the wrist injury as he “lives, eats and sleeps basketball”.

Another notable quote from Flinn came when he was asked if he was surprised at all the records Ball was breaking in his rookie season with the Hornets.

“It really doesn’t surprise me. I’m not just saying it because the level of belief is probably the first thing that struck me about LaMelo.

“This kid was just born to play. You get a lot of players who are manufactured and they do an incredible amount of work, we put them in boxes in their roles they fulfill in teams. LaMelo really has no ceiling.”

Ball has a unique opportunity to win not only two Rookie of the Year awards in his career but back-to-back trophies at that. No player that has won NBA Rookie of the Year has won a Rookie of the Year award the previous season in a different professional league.

The whole interview with Flinn is interesting and insightful given his experience with Ball that few others have had.

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Warriors second-round pick Justinian Jessup scores 10 points for Illawarra Hawks in third NBL game

In his third game in Australia’s NBL, Justinian Jessup tallied 10 points in 33 minutes for the Illawarra Hawks against the Brisbane Bullets.

As James Wiseman and Nico Mannion are making progress through the first half of the NBA season, another member of the Golden State Warriors 2020 draft class is getting his professional career underway in Australia.

On Thursday, Warriors second-round pick Justinian Jessup registered 33 minutes in his third game for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s NBL. The Boise State product scored 10 points against the Brisbane Bullets on 4-of-11 shooting from the field. The 22-year-old drilled a pair of triples on two shots from beyond the arc. Jessup added six boards and six assists in Illawarra’s 90-82 win over Brisbane.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently told reporters he’s keeping tabs on Jessup’s game in the NBL. Kerr said Warriors director of basketball operations Nick U’Ren is providing him updates on Jessup.

(H/T Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area)

I keep tabs on his progress. Nick U’Ren kind of gives me updates on his games. I know he had a big game the other night. He’s a prospect that is very interesting to us and we’re excited to have his rights and we will be following him pretty closely.

In his second NBL game, the No. 51 overall pick notched a career-best 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. Along with adding five boards, two assists and two steals, Jessup was a perfect 4-of-4 from long distance.

Via @GSWReddit on Twitter:

Through three games, Jessup is averaging 13 points on 52% shooting from the field in 31 minutes per contest. Next, Jessup will suit up against the Cairns Taipans on Jan. 29.

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Former Illawarra coach Matt Flinn calls LaMelo Ball a ‘quintessential gym rat’

Former Illawarra coach Matt Flinn continued to shut down narratives of LaMelo Ball’s work ethic by calling him a gym rat in a recent interview.

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In the weeks and months leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft, questions arose of LaMelo Ball’s maturity levels, work ethic and how seriously he took the game. With no facts to back it up, the claims were largely baseless and went against many of the reports from teammates and coaches in Illawarra.

Ball’s former head coach with the Hawks, Matt Flinn, has been one of his most ardent defenders. During and even after Ball’s half-season in Australia, Flinn consistently complimented Ball’s work ethic and focus and did so once more recently in a profile on Ball for USA Today by Josh Peter and Jeff Zillgitt.

“He is a quintessential gym rat. He’s got an amazing skill set. He works in tight spaces. He’s a great ball handler. He’s ambidextrous when he passes the basketball. But he hadn’t been coached a lot in terms of that real professional team environment.

“When I look back on his journey with us, that’s a proud one because we sort of helped him establish to other people that he can exist in a professional environment.’’

From nearly the minute he stepped onto the court during the preseason in Wollongong, Flinn defended Ball. He called Ball’s love for basketball “infectious,” talked about how hard he practiced and said Ball “sleeps, drink basketball.”  Even after Ball left Illawarra and Flinn was relieved as head coach, the compliments still came, showing hard strong an impression Ball left on Flinn.

All of Flinn’s comments mirror those of teammate Aaron Brooks. The former NBA guard spent a handful of games alongside Ball with the Hawks before suffering a season-ending injury. Brooks came into the season expecting Ball to be the prima donna his reputation portrays him as but was blown away by Ball’s commitment to the game as well.

“What surprised me is he was just like a real cool kid. I would have never known he had that many followers (on social media) unless we went out because he was just one of the guys. He had a roommate just like everybody else. He traveled with the team like everybody else. He was just one of the regular guys. When I said we needed to go get some extra work in, he was ready to go get some extra work in. When we had extra running to do, he did extra running. At 18, when I say there’s guy that got drafted in Houston and they were rookies and they were 21 and had less accolades than him and were bigger assholes, for him to be the way he was was surprising to me. Just a good kid, man.”

If Ball is not picked No. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, it should be due to his on-court skillset and not any off-court concerns. Any concerns about his work ethic and maturity have long been put to bed by those that have spent time on a team around him.

Report: NBA evaluators questioning LaMelo Ball’s professionalism ahead of 2020 NBA Draft

Though there are viable questions about LaMelo Ball’s game on the court, the questions about his game off the court are far from viable.

There are questions surrounding LaMelo Ball heading into the 2020 NBA Draft, but those have largely centered around his on-court talents.

Can he knock down threes consistently? Will he improve as a defender? Can he fit next to ball-dominant guards?

The questions that haven’t come up, largely because few exist, are off-court issues. However, Jonathan Wasserman’s latest piece for Bleacher Report mentioned that some talent evaluators have questions about Ball’s demeanor.

“Not every NBA evaluator loves LaMelo Ball, whose shooting and professionalism have been questioned by some around the league, even if they still have him at or near the top of their board.”

Questioning Ball’s professionalism seems like an assumption made on beliefs from years ago. When Ball was in Chino Hills cherry-picking baskets to get to 92 points as a sophomore, those questions about professionalism may have existed.

Since then, and particularly in Illawarra, Ball matured as any teenager would. Every report from his time with the Hawks was positive about his time with the franchise. Teammate Aaron Brooks came into the season with his own preconceived notions about Ball and was proven wrong by his work ethic.

His head coach, Matt Flinn, spoke glowingly about him all season long, including talking about how committed he is to the game. Teammate Tim Coenraad spoke about Ball surpassing expectations during the seasons. Teammate Todd Blanchfield talked about how talented Ball is and the bright future he has.

The amount of positive comments from teammates and essentially everyone associated with Illawarra last season paints a far more expansive and accurate picture of his off-court demeanor.

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Sydney Kings head coach Will Weaver says LaMelo Ball on path to becoming a dynamic player

LaMelo Ball took a risk and had a big season with the Illawarra Hawks and NBL, which could lead to a big future in the NBA next season.

LaMelo Ball took an interesting risk by joining the NBL to continue his basketball career. With a likely easier option available in joining the Chinese Basketball Association, Ball chose Australia and one of the tougher non-NBA leagues.

His risk paid off as he jumped into the discussion for the No. 1 pick because of the success he had in the league. Despite his success, though, it came in a poor environment as the Illawarra Hawks were a franchise that the league took over before being sold in the weeks after Ball departed.

At the next level, the environment around him will play a bigger role in his development, something Sydney Kings head coach Will Weaver pointed out in his recent appearance on The Wingspan podcast.

“The arc of development is long and the context these guys go into matters so much. Everything I’ve heard is really positive about their likelihood of taking advantage of those opportunities. I’ll be interested to see how their careers compare to Didi Louzada or Jae’sean Tate or any of these other young guys that have big dreams and a long way to go and are willing to take some risks to get there. It’s pretty compelling to watch and be apart of.”

Pelicans fans are familiar with Didi Louzada, who will return to the Kings next season for a second year with the club. Jae’sean Tate is a 24-year old that earned First Team All-NBL honors this season and will likely make the jump to the NBA next season.

Weaver had some high praise for Ball in the same interview, comparing him to Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson. He went on to speak more about Ball’s versatility and the reason he’s optimistic about his defense.

“I think what’s exciting about LaMelo is just the versatility that he has. The ability to be a playmaker and learn to not only be dynamic but become a great decision-maker. I think he’s well and truly on the path there. Some of the physical aspects that he has means that he’s got a chance to become a good defender.”

If Ball can land with the right team and the right staff around him, it’s entirely possible he can live up to the lofty words of Weaver. But even if he doesn’t, as we saw with Illawarra this season, it’s still possible for Ball to stand out due to his immense talent.

Warriors add playmaker to backcourt in latest NBA Mock Draft from Bleacher Report

In the latest NBA Mock Draft prediction from Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman had the Warriors selecting LaMelo Ball with the No. 2 pick.

How the Golden State Warriors handle their top pick remains one of the most intriguing questions surrounding the 2020 offseason.

With the championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green intact, the Warriors will eye a player that can help contribute to their climb back into the playoff picture as soon as next season.

Do Steve Kerr and Bob Myers trade the pick for a veteran? Do they add to the backcourt or frontcourt? Do they take a player to develop behind the Splash Brothers? Essential questions the Warriors will answer during draft season.

With the lottery order set, NBA Mock Drafts are beginning to roll out with predictions for what the Warriors will do with the No. 2 overall selection.

In Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman, the Warriors added a young playmaker to their backcourt. After Georgia’s Anthony Edwards went off the board at No. 1, the Warriors landed point guard LaMelo Ball.

While Ball’s fit with Golden State might be in question due to him sharing a position with Curry, Wasserman laid out a few factors around his mock selection.

Via Bleacher Report:

Knowing there could be more interest and time to deal after the draft, the Warriors could take Ball and shop him later, or they could keep him and add a special passer between Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who’d only make the incoming rookie a better player.

LaMelo could ultimately be ready to take the keys full-time as he nears his second contract and Curry approaches his 35th birthday. While James Wiseman may make sense to fill their hole at center, a below-average shooter, passer and switch defender doesn’t seem like a Warriors pick.

View Bleacher Report’s complete mock draft from Wasserman here.

In 12 games for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s NBL, the Chino Hills product averaged 17.0 points on 37.5% shooting from the field with 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.3 minutes per contest.

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If Ball sticks in Golden State, the 19-year-old could slide in as the lead guard off the bench while he develops behind Curry. Ball could link with Eric Paschall to give Kerr and the Warriors a viable one-two punch in the second unit.

As Curry and Thompson work back from significant injuries in 2019, having a wing with Ball’s exciting ability to create for others and initiate an offense could provide valuable depth for the Warriors.

With reports pointing towards the draft date getting moved back till November 18, Kerr and Myers will have plenty of time to research a bevy of angles around Golden State’s much-anticipated No. 2 pick.

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Former Illawarra head coach Matt Flinn says he’d take LaMelo Ball No. 1 overall

While his season with the Illawarra Hawks was tumultuous, LaMelo Ball still has a fan in his former head coach Matt Flinn.

LaMelo Ball carries with him a certain expectation that often precedes him. Due largely to his father and his upbringing in the national spotlight, most assume Ball to be more like the Kardashians rather than his actual reserved self.

A number of people associated with Illawarra have spoken to Ball surprising them with their work ethic. Former head coach Matt Flinn wasn’t ignorant of Ball’s plan to use the club as a stepping stone but also spoke highly of his teenage point guard.

Flinn was recently quoted in Tim Keown’s ESPN profile on Ball and noted that, even despite the turmoil that surrounded the franchise last season, he would still select Ball with the top pick in October’s draft.

“One thing about Melo: It seems like he’s always had one foot in and one foot out of wherever he’s been in life. From Chino Hills to Lithuania to here — always one foot headed toward the next place. Once he finds his identity and where he wants to stay, the sky’s the limit. I know I’d pick him. He’s good for business.”

Flinn does make an interesting point of how the NBA will differ from each spot for Ball during his career. In each step of Ball’s professional career, it’s been abundantly clear he was using the team to get to another level.

In the NBA, he’ll be committed to a franchise for the first time, which could lead one of two ways. Using each club as a stepping stone could also be seen as a reason for Ball to stay sharp for his next move, meaning his dedication level could waver once he gets to the NBA where there’s no next step.

However, the more likely result given his brother Lonzo’s work ethic, LaMelo has had similar stories of his work ethic and appears to be a player that will dedicate himself to improving in the gym once he lands with a team in the draft.

Report shows LaMelo Ball has larger social media reach than NBA teams

A recent ESPN piece detailed how LaMelo Ball’s social media reach, specifically on Instagram, outweighs that of any team in the NBA.

LaMelo Ball’s social media following is unlike any player or prospect his age before. As an 18-year old, Ball has 650,000 followers Twitter and an eye-popping 5.5 million followers on Instagram. His following dwarfs that of even NBA players like Trae Young (2.9 million), Zion Williamson (5.1 million) or Jimmy Butler (5.0 million) and rivals that of even someone like Anthony Davis (6.0 million).

In a recent ESPN piece discussing the impact social media by Joon Lee on young players and prospects like Ball, Shareef O’Neal or Bronny James, the true impact of Ball’s social media reach was revealed.

“On Instagram, LaMelo averages 638,388 likes and 3,666 comments with a 10.50% engagement rate per post, according to the Phlanx Instagram engagement calculator, adding around 50,000 followers per month. The NBA team with the highest social media engagement online, the Lakers, averages 159,553 likes and 822 comments with a 1.09% engagement rate.”

As noted in the piece, Ball has the unique ability to make any market he is drafted into seem like a big market team because of his following. As seen when Ball joined Illawarra and their Twitter following drastically grew, any team Ball lands with is going to see an increase in following and social media impact.

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Belief around NBA is LaMelo Ball will excel in NBA with better teammates

LaMelo Ball’s season with the Illawarra Hawks was both a successful one while also a frustrating one playing alongside underperforming teammates.

While LaMelo Ball’s time in the National Basketball League was an objectively positive one, there were still some aspects out of Ball’s control that weighed against him. For as much good as Ball’s time with the Illawarra Hawks did to legitimize him as a prospect, various aspects of the team’s construction held him back.

Even prior to the injury that sidelined Aaron Brooks for the year, the Hawks were a team without any notable role players. Once Brooks went down and the reigns were handed to Ball, the offensive burden was too great. Ball’s team lacked shooting all season and the lone true pick and roll threat was a way-past-his-prime Josh Boone.

In a recent piece breaking down Ball’s path from his freshman year at Chino Hills through his season with Illawarra, DraftExpress’ Mike Schmitz talked of a sense around the NBA that Ball’s teammates in Australia held him back.

“Even though his season was cut short because of a bone bruise in his foot and his team struggled, there’s a belief that Ball didn’t have enough help and that he’ll look even more dynamic at the next level with an elite finisher and shooters around him.”

The advanced numbers surrounding the NBL aren’t as readily available as they are for the NBA. Because of that, Ball’s impact isn’t quite as easily explainable. But those who watched Ball could see his impact on the court this season for Illawarra.

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