UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball’s father, LaVar, believes his son should be selected ahead of Washington point guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Most mock drafts, including NESN.com’s, disagree with the elder Ball, and so does Fultz himself.
“No doubt, no doubt,” Fultz said when asked by CSN Philly if he should be the top pick. “I believe I’m going to be the No. 1 pick. I think I’ve put enough work in to do that.”
Fultz probably will go No. 1 because he’s an offensive machine capable of playing either guard position. He’s also super athletic and attacks the rim as well as any prospect in a long time. He’s a quality defender and could be a consistent double-double or triple-double threat because of his rebounding and playmaking abilities.
Fultz is a more well-rounded player than Ball, and his positional versatility makes him a more valuable and safer draft pick. Ball also didn’t help himself in the NCAA Tournament. The UCLA star was outplayed by Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox in a Sweet 16 loss.
Fultz is the top prospect right now, but the gap between him and Ball isn’t huge. A lot could change between now and June’s draft.
Thumbnail photo via James Snook/USA TODAY Sports Images
