Tag: Illawarra Hawks

Shawn Marion thinks LaMelo Ball could average triple-double in NBA

NBA champion and New Zealand Breakers part-owner Shawn Marion has high hopes for 2020 NBA Draft prospect LaMelo Ball.

Shawn Marion is an NBA champion who made the All-Star game four times and led the league in steals twice over the course of his 16-year career. He is also part-owner of the NBL’s New Zealand Breakers and, as a result, he’s seen LaMelo Ball play a good amount this year.

The Breakers, headlined by projected lottery pick RJ Hampton, played Ball’s Illawarra Hawks earlier this year and beat them 103-72. Ball didn’t stuff the box score like he has in more recent games, but he still showed enough to leave Marion impressed.

In a recent interview on “The Full 48 with Howard Beck,” Marion praised Ball’s unique combination of size, speed and playmaking ability, and made a bold prediction about the 18-year-old point guard’s NBA future:

“There ain’t many guys that have that ability … LaMelo, the way he passes the ball and as big as he is, he has the ability to come in and average a triple-double. I’m not saying he’s going to average 20-something-points per game, but he can probably do 10, 10 and 10, you know what I’ms saying? With no problem.

“We saying it like it’s easy — it’s not easy. But you can see the potential in him and what he has because of his ability.”

To say “it’s not easy” is a gross understatement. Only two players — Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson — have averaged a triple-double over the course of the 82-game regular season. Ball is talented, for sure, but he’s shown nothing to suggest he’s at the level of a top-20 all-time point guard.

However, it’s not hard to imagine Ball getting close to averaging a triple-double. After all, his oldest brother Lonzo averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds in his rookie season. If LaMelo is truly better than Lonzo, he’ll be able to match those averages in his rookie season.

Unfortunately, LaMelo will have to wait another year to prove Marion right. Until then, he’ll continue to fill up the box score with the Hawks in the NBL.

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Illawarra owner says LaMelo ‘needed’ to be apart from LaVar during NBL season

LaMelo and LaVar Ball have spent many months apart since the former began play in the NBL, a potentially much-needed development.

While much of LaMelo Ball has been covered during his time in Australia, including a terrific recent feature from Bleacher Report’s Mirin Fader, he has slid relatively under the radar off the court. Not coincidentally, the radio silence coincides with LaVar being far away from LaMelo.

As was noted before LaMelo even left for Australia, Jermaine Jackson would be with Ball while LaVar remained in California. Jackson had grown close to the family and Ball in particular after spending a season as his coach at SPIRE Institute.

On top of being a move that made logistical sense, giving LaMelo a break from his often overbearing father was a much-needed reprieve for both parties, as said by Illawarra Hawks owner Simon Stratford in a recent feature on LaMelo.

“I think it’s a big step for both of them, father and son. I’d certainly be worried letting my son go to the other side of the world, but I think it was needed for them both. I think LaVar is a better person for just letting LaMelo do his thing. He has been forced to grow up in this six-month period that he is in the NBL.”

Ball has been forced to grow up multiple times in his life and career but perhaps no move has been bigger than his current stop in Australia. Both on and off the court, he has further developed into an adult and a bona fide NBA prospect.

In a career where little has made sense, Ball’s stop in Australia may end up being the best thing to happen to him yet.

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DraftExpress’ Jonanthon Givony says LaMelo Ball has worked hard to change perception of him

LaMelo Ball has worked this season on shedding a negative perception that has surrounded him, something recently noted by DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony.

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LaMelo Ball has been forced to work particularly hard throughout his young career shedding perceptions of himself that were given to him largely out of his own control. Being the son of the outspoken LaVar Ball brought much criticism and scrutiny with it, neither of which LaMelo could change. However, early videos of a young LaMelo playing high school basketball by shooting half-court jumpers and cherry-picking his way to 90 points fueled many of the perceptions about him.

Since then, Ball has been forced into an uphill battle to shed the labels given to him from his early mixtapes. It’s been a long, slow process but performances in the National Basketball League (NBL) have done the most to prove Ball’s credibility as a legitimate prospect.

In a recent piece for The Daily Telegraph in Australia, DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony talked about Ball’s battle against his perception.

“There are preconceived notions that people have about the type of player and person that he is. There are highlights of him cherrypicking on defense, not getting back and taking bad shots from 40-feet early in possessions. That is definitely who he was early on in his career and that isn’t something that he can hide. But to his credit, he has done a really good job of discrediting a lot of those preconceived notions at Illawarra. Being in a stable situation and helping the team win games is going to go a long way to changing that perception.”

The necessity to continue to shed preconceived notions of Ball might be the strongest case against Ball leaving the NBL. While the rumors were far closer to speculation than fact, they gained momentum. However, it would be counterproductive to everything Ball has done during his time with the NBL.

Regardless of what the perception of him is to the general public, Ball is going to be a top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Until then, he will continue to shed most of the negative perceptions around him.

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Report: LaMelo Ball turned down several European clubs to sign with Illawarra

A recent report noted that LaMelo Ball reportedly turned down offers from several European clubs to join the Illawarra Hawks.

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LaMelo Ball’s signing in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Illawarra Hawks has been a great return for both sides. As recently reported, it was also a pairing that needed convincing from the Hawks’ side to go forward with the deal.

While Illawarra and the NBL were one of the front runners reported by many prior to the signing along with China, the Daily Telegraph of Australia suggested those weren’t the only two leagues seeking his services.

In discussing the meeting between Ball, handler Jermaine Jackson and the Hawks front office, the piece goes on to state that a week after the meeting, Ball turned down offers from “several European clubs to join the Wollongong-based franchise.”

It’s the first credible mention of any European clubs being interested in Ball’s services. While a return to Lithuania certainly wasn’t an option, clubs at other lower-level leagues could have shown interest. But no reports of any EuroLeague teams being interested in Ball have surfaced, something that certainly would have happened in the weeks and months after Ball’s signing with Illawarra.

In the end, it’s likely the best choice was made for Ball. The NBL’s Next Stars program gives him a chance to make more money than he likely would have at nearly any other club in the world while also giving him a chance to showcase his talents on a big stage, develop as a player and still take part in a competitive league against other professionals.

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Face-to-face meeting between front office, LaMelo Ball led to Illawarra signing

A recent piece on LaMelo Ball’s signing with the Illawarra Hawks revealed the details of a face-to-face meeting between Ball and the team.

LaMelo Ball’s signing with National Basketball League side Illawarra was forecasted, at least in some capacity, many weeks in advance. All signs from the Ball camp pointed to LaMelo signing with either an Australian side or a Chinese side.

While Australia was always an option, Illawarra was not. Hawks owner Simon Stratford had to be convinced of bringing in Ball. Part of the convincing process, though, involved a cross-country flight to meet with Ball face-to-face.

In a recent profile on Ball in the Daily Telegraph in Australia, the recruiting process for Ball and the Hawks was made known. Along with general manager Mat Campbell and head coach Matt Flinn, Stratford made the 17-hour flight to Las Vegas to meet with Ball. The one-hour meeting with Ball and handler and mentor Jermaine Jackson.

In the meeting, the two sides talked about their respective goals and future plans and whether the plans overlapped. Stratford detailed the Hawks’ plan and pitch to Ball in the piece.

“LaMelo’s goal was to become No. 1 in the NBA draft, so we wanted to help him but there would be no preferential treatment,” Stratford said. “I wanted him to buy in to the team mentality. He isn’t just an individual and it isn’t only about him. We haven’t employed him to go, ‘This is the LaMelo Ball show.’ You are going to be expected to work and train hard. There will be no doing your own thing and showing up late.

LaMelo was awesome and from our meeting he changed my mind. He proved to me he was someone that I wanted around the club.”

Clearly, the move has paid off for both sides. Ball has been a huge success for Illawarra on and off the court. While the Hawks sit at the bottom of the table in the league, Ball has been the bright spot and the MVP of the team this season.

Ball has further strengthened his case for being the No. 1 pick this season while buying into the team mentality that Stratford mentioned while Illawarra has become a far more mentioned name in the basketball world this season. In all, it’s been a clear win-win for both sides.

LaMelo Ball, Sydney Kings break all-time NBL attendance record

LaMelo Ball helped break another NBL record on Sunday as the Hawks-Kings match-up set the all-time attendance record for the league.

In what has become a common occurrence in his singular season in Australia and with the National Basketball League (NBL), LaMelo Ball helped break yet another record on Sunday afternoon. In the most highly-anticipated match-up of the year, Ball and Illawarra squared off with the Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and set the league’s all-time attendance record on the night.

In total, 17,514 fans attended the contest that saw the Kings survive a valiant fight from the Hawks to hang on for the win. The attendance mark was nearly 400 higher than the previous record.

Ball has already been apart of the most-viewed game in league history earlier in the season in the showdown with New Zealand Breakers and fellow Next Star RJ Hampton. Sunday’s contest matched Ball up with the other Next Star in Didi Louzada, a player drafted by the Pelicans in the 2019 NBA Draft before being stashed in Australia for at least a season.

The contest lived up to the hype on the day as Illawarra, the bottom seed in the NBL table, not only battled Sydney tight but held a second-half lead and were tied in the fourth quarter with the best team in the league. The Kings, though, eventually fended off feisty Illawarra for the win.

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LaMelo Ball struggles, fouls out in loss to top-seed Sydney Kings

In yet another record-breaking game in NBL history, the top-seeded Sydney Kings survived a valiant fight from the Illawarra Hawks on Sunday, 92-87.

In yet another record-breaking game in NBL history, the top-seeded Sydney Kings survived a valiant fight from the Illawarra Hawks on Sunday, 92-87.

LaMelo Ball had an off-night and tallied just three points through the first half but exploded for a big third quarter, helping the Hawks rally and take a fourth-quarter lead at one point.

The Hawks had an uncharacteristically fast start in the contest, racing out to a lead that led to a 28-24 lead by the end of the quarter break. The Kings eventually fought back to take a lead by halftime, 51-45.

Ball struggled in the opening half as he was saddled with foul trouble after picking up his third foul just past the midway point of the second quarter. At the half, Ball had just three points.

However, the Next Star took off in the third period, setting up teammates and scoring over the court to help keep the bottom-seeded Hawks in the contest to eventually give the Hawks a lead that peaked at 65-61. But the Kings responded with a 9-0 run to close the period and lead 70-65 into the final period.

Illawarra stayed feisty throughout the fourth, largely without Ball in the early stages. The Hawks eventually tied the game at 79-79 but the Kings used a 10-2 run to open up the lead late and cruise to a win. Ball would foul out late in the game before the Hawks knocked in a handful of three-pointers to make the score more respectable.

Ball finished with 16 points on 7-of-19 field goal shooting and 1-of-5 shooting from deep while also finished with eight rebounds and six assists. Todd Blanchfield had 22 points and six rebounds to lead the Hawks.

Jae’Sean Tate had 24 points and Casper Ware chipped in 21 for the Kings. Tate had six rebounds and Ware six assists.

Illawarra falls to 2-8 with the loss. Sydney is now 9-1.

Illawarra owner Simon Stratford admits he did not initially want LaMelo Ball

Illawarra Hawks’ owner Simon Stratford recently revealed he did not initially want to sign LaMelo Ball when first approached about the idea.

LaMelo Ball has had a certain perception following him since the moment he appeared in mixtapes and highlight reels alongside his brothers. His shot-chucking, cherry-picking, no-defense-playing style was great for the box scores but left sour tastes in the mouths of many.

While Ball has done a terrific job of shedding that label with Illawarra this season, he nearly was never afforded that chance. Hawks owner Simon Stratford was among those holding a negative perception of Ball and initially nixed a deal for Ball from the start.

From The Daily Telegraph in Australia:

“When I initially got asked about LaMelo, I said ‘hell no’,” Illawarra owner Simon Stratford told The Sunday Telegraph. “I was like, ‘I’ve done my research on this kid and there is no way I want him a part of this club because I thought he’d bring unwanted attention’.”

After some due diligence, a more thorough delve into Ball’s past and present and a one-on-one meeting with Ball, the Hawks were convinced Ball perception did not meet the reality and opted to bring the guard in. The results have spoken for themselves not just on the court but off.

New Zealand Breakers CEO Matt Walsh spoke earlier this season about the on- and off-court impact not only Ball but fellow Next Stars mate RJ Hampton.

It’s incredible the impact these young guys have had on our league and our business. I think more than anything, they’re both just very good young men. To watch R.J. come out and play that way on this stage, I’m very proud of him…It’s exciting, man. I’m excited to watch LaMelo, I’m excited to watch R.J. It’s going to be an incredble NBL20.

Fortunately for all parties involved, the Hawks did do due diligence and brought in Ball, leading to a partnership all sides have benefitted from.

LaMelo Ball is confident he’ll be No. 1 pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The 2020 NBA Draft is still eight months away, but LaMelo Ball thinks the debate for who the No. 1 pick should be is already settled.

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The Illawarra Hawks have struggled mightily to start the season — going 2-7 through nine games — but they finally caught a break on Saturday thanks to their Rising Star LaMelo Ball.

On Saturday, Ball scored a season-high 24 points on 9-21 shooting from the field, including 5-11 shooting from 3-point range, to lead the Hawks to their second win of the season. He also contributed nine assists, seven rebounds, and three assists. It took longer than the struggling Hawks would have liked, but Ball finally had his breakout game.

Following the Hawks’ 101-91 over the Cairns Taipans, Ball took part in his first walk-off interview of the NBL season, and he made it a memorable one despite saying few words. When Ball was asked if he thought he was the worthy of being the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, he didn’t hesitate to answer:

ESPN has Ball projected to go No. 3 overall behind Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards and Memphis Tigers center James Wiseman, but a lot can change between now and the 2020 NBA Draft in June. Edwards, Wiseman and Cole Anthony may have more success with their respective teams than Ball has had so far, but the things Ball has been able to do against professional basketball players that are grown men shouldn’t be ignored, either.

We’ll get a better idea of how Ball stacks up against the elite college prospects as the NCAA progresses, but right now, he makes as good a case as any of them for the No. 1 pick, and he knows it.

3 key stats for the start of LaMelo Ball’s 2019-20 NBL season

LaMelo Ball has had a strong start to the 2019-20 NBL season with the Illawarra Hawks. Here are three key stats from that hot start.

LaMelo Ball’s season in the NBL has been a rocky one that has had highs and lows both personally for Ball and for the Illawarra Hawks as a whole. A rough start was made even worse with a season-ending injury to the team’s best player, Aaron Brooks, leaving Illawarra in a state of uncertainty.

Ball has taken the reigns and flourished in the weeks since Brooks’ absence, highlighted by his best game of the season in the most recent Illawarra contest against the Taipans.

With a healthy sample size gathered through the opening nine games of the season for the Hawks, here’s a look at three key stats from the season for both Illawarra and Ball.

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