LaMelo Ball had what many considered to be an impressive showing while playing for the Illawarra Hawks of the NBL. Following his brief stint with the team, LaMelo was thought to be a shoo-in for the top five of the NBA draft, with some pundits saying he could even go number one. The NBA draft is set to go down on November 18th, with the Minnesota Timberwolves drafting first overall, followed by the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now, however, some feel like LaMelo might not make the top five, after all. This information comes from The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor who recently reported that sources around the draft are saying LaMelo didn't do so well during his pre-draft interviews. In fact, some feel like the teams in the top five might be looking elsewhere come draft day.
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Per Kevin O'Connor:
“I had a phone call earlier today with somebody who works in the league for a team and he and I talked a lot about LaMelo. There are a lot of people who wonder if he could fall outside the top five. Rick Bonnell, a Hornets writer, reported today that he hadn’t done well in interviews. I’m not sure what to make of that report but I’ve heard similar, that he hasn’t done great in these interviews and workouts and all that.”
While this is bad news for LaMelo, this is great news for the New York Knicks who are drafting eighth overall. The Knicks and Ball have expressed mutual interest in one another and if LaMelo somehow falls deeper into the first round, the Big Apple could very well come calling.
[Via]
