NBA Draft 2020: Top 5 prospects not from major conferences

2. LaMelo Ball (Illawarra)

LaMelo Ball had quite possibly the most intriguing “high school” career of all time. He went from starting with his brothers at Chino Hills to playing overseas — twice. As a sophomore he dropped out of school and moved to Lithuania to play. Then he joined the Junior Basketball Association — a league formed by his verbose father LaVar — foregoing his Junior year of high school. He spent his Senior year at SPIRE Institute in Ohio, where he played under NBA veteran Jermaine Jackson. He spent his year between high school and the NBA in Australia, where he was named the league Rookie of the Year. This is all without mentioning that he committed to UCLA before even entering high school.

As a player LaMelo has come a long way from cherry-picking his way to 92 points. He can score from anywhere and can make defenders pay for overplaying his limitless range by taking them to the rack and finishing at the rim. Ball is best with an up-tempo style of play — he consistently jumps into passing lanes and looks to push the ball in the open court.

He forces his scoring less now than in high school, but still has a quick trigger at times and likes his heat checks. While he is able to attack the rim well, he is not the best athlete and lacks the stunning leaping ability other guards in the class have. Like Avdija, Ball needs to fill out his lengthy frame.

LaMelo is a great shooter with a strong demeanor and an ability to stay strong under pressure. He will be a top-five pick this year and has a great chance at landing in the top three.