Tag: Matt Flinn

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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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.

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.

Illawarra head coach Matt Flinn on first impression of LaMelo Ball: ‘He sleeps, drinks basketball’

Illawarra Hawks head coach Matt Flinn admitted to being surprised by LaMelo Ball upon his first impression of the teenager.

A reoccurring theme among many members of the Illawarra Hawks team and staff that met LaMelo Ball last season was that of surprise. Most people came with an expectation of what Ball was like based on the perception of him through social media, highlight videos and traditional media.

Instead of dealing with a prima donna prospect, Ball proved to be a hard-working, basketball-loving teenager focused on improving on the court and less about off-court matters. During a recent interview with GQ Australia, Hawks head coach Matt Flinn talked about his first impression of Ball.

“The first thing I noticed about LaMelo was just how joyful he was, He sleeps, drinks basketball. That’s his whole world and everything he does. There’s a perception about LaMelo from what you see online but that’s nothing like what you see inside the team group. He enjoys other people succeeding; a lot of people think it’s all about him. It’s not. He’s a really special kid in that way.”

Flinn is one of many who have shared the sentiment. Aaron Brooks, who only spent roughly half a season with the Hawks before going down with injury, talked with TMZ about expecting Ball to be a Kardashian and be pleasantly surprised.

David Andersen had a much more recent interview with ESPN in which he shared the sentiment. He also added that the team was ill-prepared for the LaMelo Ball experience even with his commitment to the franchise.

This preconceived notion is going to be one that Ball fights for the early stages of his career. Between his early highlights at Chino Hills and his father’s abrasiveness, Ball is going to continue to have to face the same assumptions about him and will be forced to continue to prove people wrong.

Illawarra coach Matt Flinn shares tremendous story on LaMelo Ball’s confidence

LaMelo Ball’s confidence has never been doubted but a recent story from Hawks’ head coach Matt Flinn reemphasized that swagger.

LaMelo Ball may be a quiet figure on the outside but stories of his self-confidence and belief have been shared many times over. While his father LaVar certainly boasts loudly about how confident he is, LaMelo opts to show it on the court, most memorably in the form of his half-court three-point attempts.

One of the best stories about Ball’s confidence came from Matt Flinn, Illawarra Hawks head coach. In an interview with Australia GQ, Flinn revealed that prior to a game this season, he pulled Ball aside to discuss some last-minute strategy which led to a great one-liner from Ball.

“I wouldn’t bet against him. The kid’s got such self-belief. I’ll tell you a story. We’re playing Adelaide and just before we run out, I grab LaMelo. I tell him he’s going to face this particular guard. ‘Just back up and go at him, he won’t be able to stay in front of you,’ I tell him. LaMelo replies, ‘Yeah, him and everyone else in the world,’ then runs out on the court.”

From a story-telling perspective, it’s unfortunate that Ball finished with only 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting in that game, but did drop a gorgeous highlight-reel assist. The Hawks lost the game 98-92 but the story will certainly add to the folklore of Ball’s self-confidence.

Hawks’ David Andersen says LaMelo Ball grew from NBL experience

Illawarra Hawks veteran David Andersen spoke recently on LaMelo Ball’s up-and-down season with the NBL franchise.

LaMelo Ball’s time in the NBL was a roller coaster of highs and lows. At his best, he notched back-to-back historic triple-doubles in the final two games of his time with Illawarra. But the slow start, inefficiency and season-ending injury all were lowlights on the year as well.

One of the teammates that has spoken out on him this season the most, veteran David Andersen, gave his take on Ball’s up and down season in a recent interview with ESPN.

“I thought defensively and even offensively he was a bit lost at the start, running a team, and then he started to get his feet under him. He looked like he was starting to get rolling and then he had the foot problem and that put a halt to everything, but it was an evolving thing.

“I think it was great for his growth as a player and great for the league to see him out there and throwing up triple-doubles, it was amazing.”

Head coach Matt Flinn spoke about how Ball’s upbringing on the basketball court stunted his growth in many ways, largely in the lack of basic drills he did during his younger years. And Ball had to adjust in many ways to playing with fellow professionals at his level rather than teenagers he is far better than.

It was all a big learning curve that was made worse by a first-year head coach, an increased media spotlight and a franchise that was ill-prepared to handle the Ball experience. But both sides will likely walk away from the experience having learned valuable lessons moving forward.

Aaron Brooks on Illawarra teammate LaMelo Ball: I expected him to be a Kardashian

Illawarra Hawks teammate Aaron Brooks admitted to his preconceived notion being wrong about LaMelo Ball before playing with him.

One of the benefits of LaMelo Ball’s time in Australia with the Illawarra Hawks was the valuable experience of playing with fellow professionals. Having one or more mentors, particularly at Ball’s age, can prove vital in the development of prospects.

But one specific player stood out above the rest as a great potential mentor for Ball. Aaron Brooks, a long-time former point guard in the NBA, signed with the Hawks before Ball. While he only played half a season in Illawarra before suffering a torn Achilles, it was more than enough time for Brooks to admit he was wrong about his idea of what Ball was.

In an interview with TMZ, Brooks admitted that his preconceived notion of Ball led to him not wanting to be teammates with the 18-year old.

“I signed with Illawarra before I even knew he was going to be there. I know it came out the opposite way. For me, when I found out he was going to be there, I was like ‘Look, I don’t want to go through that.’ I come from the old school of being with Dikembe Mutombo and Rafer Alston and Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. Now I’m playing with 18-year old, Kardashian kid. That’s what I was kind of (thinking)…I was like ‘Alright, I just want to play basketball.’”

However, Ball quickly endeared himself not just to Brooks but to the team as a whole. His low-profile personality and work ethic left a lasting mark on Brooks, who admitted to being wrong about the youngest Ball sibling.

“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.”

Ball’s work ethic is something that Hawks head coach Matt Flinn noted quickly on after having Ball join the team. And, similar to Brooks, Flinn seemed surprised by Ball given what the narrative surrounding him is.

Still, though, many see Ball as a Kardashian-esque figure with a ton of popularity and a work ethic that doesn’t match. It’ll be another narrative he’ll likely have to break once entering the league as Ball continues to disprove the Kardashian-based notion.

Illawarra head coach Matt Flinn reflects on LaMelo Ball experience

After a tumultuous season that ended without LaMelo Ball, Illawarra head coach Matt Flinn reflected on the Ball experience this year.

Illawarra closed its season on Friday with a 98-82 loss to the Sydney Kings, marking an unceremonious end to a ceremonious season. A year that started with fanfare, hope and excitement ended with all of those absent.

The Hawks closed the season by losing the final 10 games of the season and finishing 5-23, last in the league by four games and out of the playoff picture by 10 full games.

First-year head coach Matt Flinn was asked about the LaMelo Ball experience following the team’s loss to the Kings.

“There’s no question that the DNA of our team was certainly manufactured through LaMelo and his usage rates with the basketball. (And) certainly he’s a great talent. I tell you, he learnt a lot from us, in particular defensive schemes and how to play at this level.

“But I also learnt a lot from him, and the challenges that come with executing talent within a system and as a first-rookie coach. That was quite difficult to do right at the start, to get that balance.”

The Hawks underwent many different phases this season, starting with having a backcourt of both Aaron Brooks and Ball and ending with a backcourt of neither by the conclusion of the season.

Given those challenges, it’s not surprising the Hawks struggled. But even with Brooks and Ball, the shortcomings of the roster were present. The top-heavy roster led to some interesting comments from Flinn about whether he would pursue a young Next Stars guard again.

“We’ve all seen how super-talented he is, (but) you’ve still got to come in and run the show and feed the fish and execute when the lights are on.

“And he did that at times, but it’s a big ask for an 18-year-old to do it. I think positionally, we would look maybe towards the other end of the roster.”

The Hawks roster was flawed from early on. Even signings of Billy Preston and Darington Hobson in-season had little impact as the former left the team shortly after joining and the latter only averaged 6.3 points in his 12 games and never shared the court with Ball.

It was a high-risk, high-reward bet by the Hawks that blew up in its face this season and leaves the Hawks at the bottom of the league and in a bad position moving forward.

Matt Flinn, Hawks shoot down conspiracies about LaMelo Ball’s injury

While many have hypothesized that LaMelo Ball’s injury could be a way out of the NBL, the Hawks continue to push back on the notion.

Seemingly out of nothing, LaMelo Ball’s future in the National Basketball League (NBL) has been in question from the moment he began to shine. As his draft stock rose, equal amounts of questions have arisen about whether Ball is long for the league with risk of injury being too great.

Ironically so, Ball suffered a foot injury last week that will rule him out for a month. With his return date coming so close to the end of the NBL season, conspiracy theories quickly began to circulate that this would be Ball’s out for the league.

Illawarra head coach Matt Flinn strongly pushed back against the notion that Ball would not suit up again for the Hawks this season.

“I don’t know where that comes from but it’s false. It’s legitimate injury and we’re going to treat it like we would any other player. The medical staff has advised us that it’s a four-week injury so hopefully in four weeks we’ll see him back.

“Those of us on the inside see just how hungry he is to play this sport, he’s your quintessential gym-rat. He doesn’t envisage any day where he’s not playing basketball so hopefully he can continue his development and the path he’s been on because it’s been phenomenal from where he started to where he is now.”

Going hand-in-hand with Flinn’s quote, reports elsewhere have backed up the idea that Ball’s injury is legitimate as noted by Fox Sports’ Olgun Uluc.

Ball himself has never wavered on the idea that he would leave the Hawks early, having gone on record that he would finish the season.

“I don’t know where that rumor came from, but when I decided to come play over here, I committed to the whole season. I’m not leaving early.”

The reoccurring trend is that the idea that he wouldn’t return is not founded on anything. Ball and the Hawks both have benefitted from the partnership and it makes sense for both parties to remain. And with the Illawarra season ending in mid-February, it will be plenty of time for Ball to return to the states ahead of the NBA Draft in June.

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Matt Flinn on LaMelo Ball’s triple-double: ‘It’s exciting to be a part of’

After LaMelo Ball’s historic triple-double on Monday against Cairns, Matt Flinn reflected on Ball’s incredible performance.

No person has been a stronger public supporter of LaMelo Ball during his time in the National Basketball League than his head coach Matt Flinn. In his first year as a head coach, the Illawarra Hawks’ main man has thrown his full support behind his Next Star despite his struggles to open the year.

Ball made good on Flinn’s high praise early in the year with a historic performance on Monday, becoming the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double. Ball finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in an overtime win over the Cairns Taipans.

After the game, Flinn talked about Ball’s historic performance in his post-game press conference.

“I think everyone saw tonight what he’s capable of. We see it pretty regularly in practice when the doors are closed. It was really nice for him to get into a flow. He just impacts the game in so many different ways. It’s exciting to be a part of. It’s also the way he brings his teammates into the game as well. There’s so many good players in this league but the really great ones make everyone around them better. I think we saw tonight he can bring other people into the game.”

Ball has continued to improve game by game in the NBL and has really hit his stride in the weeks since Aaron Brooks’ injury. He’s also helped slowly drag the Hawks back up the table.

The win over the Taipans moves them off the bottom of the table at least in the short-term and within two wins of a top-four spot. It’s still a long road but with Ball steadying improving, anything feels possible with the Hawks moving forward.

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