LaMelo Ball will be a basketball journeyman by the time he begins his NBA career.
The high-school basketball star announced Monday on ESPN’s “The Jump” has signed a two-year contract with the Illawarra Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League. Ball, 17, hopes playing at least one season Down Under will prepare him to return to the United States as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
“My agents did a ton of research on the options I had to play this coming season and Australia really made sense for me,” Ball said. “They have a really strong league, with excellent coaches and great players, including former and future NBA players, and great strength and conditioning programs. My goal is to be the top pick in next year’s Draft and I feel they can help me reach that goal. Also, the timing of the season works well with the timing of next year’s Draft.”
Ball concluded his high-school basketball career last season with SPIRE Prep Academy. He likely would not have been eligible to play for a college team, due to his professional stints overseas with Lithuanian club BC Prienai, then in the stateside JBA league his father, LaVar Ball, founded.
He joins RJ Hampton among highly rated American prospect who’ll take their talents to Australia next season. However, Ball insists he’s not following Hampton’s lead.
“I had already decided to play in the NBL prior to RJ’s decision, I just hadn’t yet narrowed down the team,” Ball said. “But having RJ there only adds to the excitement. I think it will be a good experience for both of us to be there at the same time and to be able to play against one another.”
The NBL season will run between early October and ends in late March, and Ball is expected to compete for a starting spot at the point guard and shooting guard positions with Illawarra Hawks. His contract contains NBA out clauses, allowing him to enter the NBA Draft with minimal resistance when he’s ready to do so.
