LaMelo Ball’s injury not only derailed his National Basketball League (NBL) career but may have impacted his potential NBA future as well. With him being halfway across the world, not all NBA scouts and general managers were unable to schedule trips to scout Ball in person.
Reportedly, the New York Knicks were one of those teams. In a piece for the New York Post, Marc Berman revealed neither president Steve Mills nor general manager Scott Perry traveled to Australia before Ball’s season abruptly ended.
According to a source, the Knicks never got a chance to see the 6-foot-7 forward play live Down Under. Brass had plotted the trip for this month.
On one hand, it’s hard to fault the team as scouting is often a year-long process with many stops throughout the year. The only owner to definitively be seen in attendance for an Illawarra game this season was Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak.
But the NBL season also only carries into mid-February. Waiting until January to scout leaves open a host of possibilities that could go wrong. It’s a tough situation. However, Ball will have ample opportunity to workout for teams individually before the draft and video of the games are available.
The Knicks and Ball have been linked a handful of times this year. Lonzo Ball recently stated that LaMelo would be a great fit in New York. The Knicks themselves have not been linked as being interested but their need at guard and their likely position near the top of the draft lottery makes them a natural pairing.
