In an effort to get LaMelo Ball help and improve their 3-10 record, the Illawarra Hawks have signed former McDonald’s All-American Billy Preston, the team announced on Sunday.
Preston was ranked No. 18 in the 2017 high school basketball class by ESPN and committed to play at the University of Kansas in 2016. However, Preston never played a regular season game for the Jayhawks because he left Kansas in January of 2018 out of frustration with the NCAA’s attempt to get a “clearer financial picture” of a car accident he was involved in.
Preston went undrafted in 2018 but managed to land a two-way contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers a month later. Preston appeared in 10 games for the Canton Charge in the NBA G League before being waived by the Cavaliers in December. After that, he spent some time with the Eerie Bayhawks and Texas Legends.
The 22-year-old power forward has struggled to make an impact at every stop he’s made so far, but he’ll have a clear role with the Hawks in the NBL. Ball has desperately needed a mobile big man that can finish above the rim and Preston, if nothing else, is that.
Ball and Preston have never played with each other, but they did cross paths in the high school basketball circuit. As a matter of fact, Preston, a native of Redondo Beach, CA, was part of the Oak Hill team that ended Chino Hills High School’s 60-game win streak in 2017.
Hopefully there are no hard feelings between Preston and Ball, and they’re able to turn the Hawks’ disappointing season around.
