Will Liangelo Ball Make The Nba?
We take a look at the facts to see if LaMelo Ball’s brother has what it takes to make it in the NBA.
Introduction
There is no doubting that Liangelo Ball has the skill set to play in the NBA. He has good size at 6’5”, can shoot from distance, and has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. In addition, he is an above-average rebounder for his position and has demonstrated that he can be a quality defensive player. The main question with Liangelo is whether he will be able to translate his game to the NBA level.
Early Life and High School Career
Liangelo Robert Ball (born November 24, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the BC Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). He played college basketball for one season with the UCLA Bruins before leaving the school to pursue a professional career. Ball is the son of LaVar and Tina Ball, and he has two brothers, Lonzo and LaMelo.
Ball attended Chino Hills High School in his hometown of Chino Hills, California. As a senior in 2016–17, he averaged 22.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game, leading Chino Hills to an undefeated 35–0 record and the state championship. He was named a McDonald’s All-American, First Team All-USA by USA Today and Mr. Basketball USA.
College Career
LiAngelo Ball attended UCLA for one season of college basketball before leaving to pursue a professional career. In his only season with the Bruins, Ball averaged 10.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 34 percent from three-point range. He did not declare for the NBA draft after his freshman season and was not selected in the 2018 NBA draft.
Professional Career
As Ball continued to put up big numbers as a junior (21.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.5 steals per game), he drew greater attention from college basketball recruiters. In the end, he chose to play for UCLA, where his father had starred in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Ball made an immediate impact with the Bruins, starting all 34 games as a freshman and averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game. He also shot an impressive 41.2 percent from three-point range and helped UCLA reach the NCAA tournament Sweet 16.
Despite his strong debut campaign, there were still questions about whether Ball could develop into a true point guard at the next level. He showed potential in that area during his sophomore season, averaging 7.6 assists per game while still scoring at a high clip (19.1 points per game). However, he struggled with turnovers (4.8 per game) and shooting efficiency (43 percent from the field).
Those flaws were magnified during Ball’s junior season as he dealt with various injuries and shot just 29 percent from three-point range while averaging 10 points per game. As a result of his struggles, many experts began to wonder if he would even be drafted into the NBA.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Liangelo Ball may not be selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, he could very well end up playing in the NBA someday. His skill set, work ethic, and family ties give him a leg up on many other prospects.
