NBA Draft 2020: Mock Draft 5.0
New York Knicks. LaMelo Ball. 2. player. 27. . Guard (Illawarra)
The Knicks strike gold on my personal No. 1 — a prospect who has had Knicks prematurely plastered over his name for years. New York is a draw for big names, and there is no bigger name than LaMelo Ball in this year’s draft.
As luck would have it, the Knicks also need a point guard. Ball is a generational playmaking talent — a once-in-a-lifetime floor general who can spray passes across the court from every angle imaginable. He has tremendous size to peer over defenders at 6-foot-7, he thrives in the open court, and unlike his older brother, LaMelo has tight handles and a silky in-between game to complement his passing repertoire.
Defense is the big question mark for Ball. He has great tools, and the family pedigree is postivie. Lonzo is a brilliant defender. However, LaMelo has never been one to consistently try on defense, and while it’s easy to blame his curious basketball upbringing, it’s difficult to expect a switch-flip when we have never seen the “on” version of Ball defensively.