CHICAGO _ With long NBA draft lottery odds, the Detroit Pistons _ projected to land the No. 12 pick _ likely won't have to make a decision on coveted UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball.
But if the Pistons are lucky and land in the Top 3 of June's draft in Tuesday's draft lottery, Ball would not be disqualified because of his controversial father, LaVar.
The Pistons _ just like most NBA teams _ would select Lonzo Ball because of his talent and, by all accounts, he is considered a good teammate.
That doesn't mean the attention is all positive. There are reports suggesting that Lonzo Ball could fall down draft boards, but a fall past the Top 5 seems unlikely.
LaVar Ball has repeatedly made outlandish boasts about Lonzo and his two younger brothers in an attempt to create a brand for the family.
He's said Michael Jordan couldn't sell a $495 shoe, the cost of Lonzo's rookie Big Baller signature shoe. He's also been dismissive of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James.
It's something worth watching. Helicopter parents can disrupt team chemistry. They spend a lot of time around the families of other players and candid boasts could lead to friction.
But when talking to NBA talent evaluators, Lonzo Ball doesn't let the antics affect relationships with teammates.
"Now, if everything is exactly even, like if you really love Lonzo Ball and you really love Josh Jackson, maybe your personnel staff says, well, we don't want the headaches of LaVar Ball," ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla said during a recent teleconference. "But I doubt that will happen, I really do. The kid seems to be a great kid. I talked to a couple people at UCLA in the last couple of days, and from the strength coach to the team managers, everybody that I talked to, unless they're lying, said that the kid was an absolute delight to deal with and was a great teammate.
"So that's not going to be, I don't think, a big issue."
One reason is Lonzo Ball's special passing ability, which is probably his No. 1 NBA talent.
Ball, 19, led UCLA to the NCAA's Sweet 16 in his only season with the Bruins. He averaged 15 points and eight assists per game. He also shot 41 percent from 3-point range.
The numbers are good, but he truly becomes a highlight reel when leading the fast-break.
"You know when you run the floor and you run it right, and you're in the right position, you're going to get the ball," UCLA teammate T.J. Leaf said last week at the NBA draft combine. "That's what you want. You want to be able to know that if you're doing everything right, you're going to get rewarded for it.
"He sees the game of basketball a play or two ahead. That's what makes him special. He's such a good passer and a willing passer and he gives you so many other things. Let's not underestimate his ability to score. He can definitely score the ball and get to the (hoop)."
Another reminder that the Pistons speculation is probably moot.
The NBA draft lottery is Tuesday night (8, ESPN) and the Pistons have only a 2.5 percent of landing in the Top 3, with No. 12 their likely draft slot.
