Tag: Lithuania

LaMelo Ball says ‘playing up’ against pros in Lithuania, NBL helped development

LaMelo Ball had two very different outcomes in his times playing professionally abroad but both helped him become the prospect he is today.

LaMelo Ball’s path to the 2020 NBA Draft had well-documented stops in multiple foreign countries. While his most recent time in Australia was a consensus success, his time in Lithuania much earlier in his career was a consensus failure.

In Lithuania, Ball only played eight official games, averaging 6.5 points, 2.4 assists and shooting 26.8% from the field. Most of his success came from events created by LaVar Ball designed for his sons to flourish. None of those same extra measures were needed in Australia as Ball averaged 17.2 points, 6.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 12 games, all of which he started.

Despite the mixed bag of results, Ball found value from both situations. During his 2020 NBA Draft Combine media interview, he spoke about playing against older professionals in each of those circumstances and what impact that had on him.

“I always played (an age group) up at a young age and I just feel playing up will help you no matter what because…you’re going to learn different stuff beside playing with your age (group),” he said.

After his failed season in Lithuania, Ball returned to America and took part in another LaVar-created league designed for LaMelo and LiAngelo to put up gaudy stats. Even his year with SPIRE featured him playing in an offense and a system not too dissimilar to Chino Hills with full-court presses and a gameplan focused on outscoring the opponent rather than getting defensive stops.

But none of his struggles in Europe dissuaded him from going to Australia to compete in the NBL.

“No, definitely not,” Ball said when asked if he had any doubts heading to the NBL. “Like I said, anything I go into, I’m always positive. Always looking at the best outcome. I felt great doing it.”

Ball’s unwavering confidence paid off in a big way as he’s positioned to potentially be the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Zalgiris big man Jock Landale will be …

Zalgiris big man Jock Landale will be playing in a different team next season. With the request of the player, Jock Landale and Zalgiris have mutually agreed to part ways, as the Aussie continues to seek out his dream of playing in the NBA. A member of the Australian men’s national team signed a deal with Zalgiris last summer and had a running contract for next season. After the two sides reached an agreement, the 24-year-old addressed the fans and the Zalgiris organization. “I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for everything you’ve done for the past year. It was such an incredible experience coming to Lithuania and playing for such a historic club and a legendary coach. To the organization, I appreciate what you guys have done. Everyone’s got goals and ambitions, and you really helped me reach mine. You’ve got a fan in me for life.”

LaMelo Ball says experience in Lithuania helped him in the long run

While a move that looked to be a failure in the moment, LaMelo Ball’s year in Lithuania was a move that he ultimately felt make him better.

By nearly all accounts, the Ball family’s experience in Lithuania with BC Vytautas was a failure. After lasting just one year overseas in Europe, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball were forced to return back to America largely with their tail tucked between their legs after failing to make much of an impression on the team or league.

While the immediate consequences of the decision to go overseas were largely negative, the long-term effects actually produced some positives for the Ball family and, specifically, LaMelo.

During an interview with GQ Australia, Ball talked about the experience of playing professionally in Lithuania.

“I feel it helped me in the long run. I grew up a lot. After doing that I felt I could go anywhere.”

Lithuania served largely as a crash course for Ball in the lifestyle of being a professional basketball player. The family’s Facebook show “Ball in the Family” showed how Ball lived in Lithuania and while it was a mess at the time, it served as a learning experience that he almost certainly relied upon in once joining the National Basketball League (NBL).

Ball talked in the same interview about the decision to join the NBL and why it was an easy one given the previous experience he had in Lithuania. So, while it was a move that did not produce strong dividends in the moment, it was a move that paid at least some dividends in the future.

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