While LaMelo Ball appears to have separated himself from the rest of the pack alongside James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards, he’s been unable to separate himself within that top tier of groups. Given his small sample size of work during his prep and pro career, there is not much video for scouts to go off.
Because of this, scouts, executives and those around the NBA have long viewed Ball as a high-risk, high-reward selection. The New York Post’s Marc Berman spoke to a scout recently that reiterated that point once more.
“LaMelo is a very dangerous choice. A very high risk-reward. All the baggage that comes with a decision like that is not what the Knicks need. Honestly, Lonzo [Ball] was a horrific shooter. He did manage to change his shot mechanics and now is a pretty good shooter. It’s very unusual but he did it and possibly LaMelo could, too.’’
The ceiling for Ball is higher than anyone else in the draft but the perceived floor is also lower than any other top prospect. At his best, Ball can change a franchise. His floor will still likely be enough to keep him in the NBA as he possesses elite vision.
There is some push back on his shot being as horrific as Lonzo Ball’s, whose shot probably shouldn’t be described as horrific even if it’s a matter of semantics. LaMelo has enough touch on floaters and around the rim that there’s reason to believe he can develop that into a solid three-point stroke.
