NBA prospect Lonzo Ball to forego Draft Combine

Lonzo Ball dazzled scouts and executives alike during his one year stay as the primary playmaker for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins.

However, interested NBA franchises won’t be able to gauge his full potential through the upcoming NBA Draft Combine, as he will reportedly skip the traditional process all together.

The 19-year-old point guard, widely expected to be a top-five pick in this year’s draft, will not participate in the festivities in Chicago from May 9 to 14, ESPN reported.

The combine has been a staple for the league’s drafting process, where prospects undergo measurements, participate in interviews, take part in shooting drills, take medical tests and go through five-on-five drills which may help or hurt  their stock.

Ball will follow the footsteps of last year’s blue chip recruit Ben Simmons, who still went number one overall despite skipping the process entirely.

Other noteworthy talents like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid opted not to participate in their respective Draft Combines as well.

Some participating recruits, meanwhile, show up but choose to sit out on some events.

For instance, rookies Brandon Ingram, Jamal Murray and Buddy Hield declined to take part in athletic testing last year. Khristian Ibarrola/JB

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lonzo Ball done at UCLA, headed to NBA

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Star UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball says he’s one and done at UCLA and headed to the next level.

The guard said Friday night after his team lost to Kentucky in the Sweet 16 that he is moving on from the college game.

“That was my final game for UCLA. I appreciate all the fans and all the support,” Ball said in the UCLA locker room.

Ball was widely expected to declare for the NBA draft after this season. His father, LaVar Ball, has been especially vocal, declaring that the eldest of three hoops-playing brothers is better than NBA MVP Steph Curry.

Ball said he felt bad that he couldn’t carry his team’s seniors to another win in the NCAA Tournament. He says UCLA simply lost to a good team.

Ball was outdueled by Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox on Friday night, scoring just 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Fox scored 39 for the Wildcats.

UCLA coach Steve Alford indicated he wasn’t surprised by Ball’s decision, even saying he assumed it was the end of the freshman’s college career.

“I probably don’t like to assume anything, but he’s pretty good,” Alford said.

He noted that there is a different culture in college basketball than in his playing days at Indiana.

“Guys can make a good living sooner than what it was two decades ago, three decades ago,” Alford said. “We’ve had our share of some very good one-and-dones.”

source: sports.inquirer.net