Lakers reportedly have seen enough of LiAngelo Ball, will not seek to draft him
NEWS ITEM: LiAngelo Ball tries out with other draft hopefuls for the Los Angeles Lakers.
FLASHBACK: LaVar Ball guarantees that all three of his sons (Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo) will be playing for the Lakers by 2020.
FACT: Not so fast.
After this week’s workout, sources tell USA Today that not only are the Lakers not interested in drafting or signing LiAngelo, but they aren’t even considering putting him on their G-League team.
Ball said he felt like his audition went well.
LiAngelo Ball taking part in the “Lakers Mentality” drill near the end of his pre-draft workout with the team.
Drill is designed to test a player’s long-distance accuracy and general fitness in a 90-second span. pic.twitter.com/X1qY6EV1dw
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) May 29, 2018
With team president Magic Johnson, coach Luke Walton and brother Lonzo watching, LiAngelo showed confidence in his talent.
“I feel like it went good,” Ball told The Associated Press. “It’s always fun being in here doing things I want to get better at. It was a good workout.”
LiAngelo, of course, dropped out of UCLA after being arrested in China for stealing sunglasses.
As a result, he never suited up for the Bruins.
That was followed by a stint with a Lithuanian team with LaMelo. But now he’s ready to move forward.
“I don’t really remember too much about that,” he said. “That’s a closed chapter in my life. I just moved on. Went overseas. Just learned from over there. Came back.”
Ball also confirmed that he has a workout scheduled with Golden State.
It’s hard to believe he’d have a shot with the NBA champions if he can’t crack the roster of a lottery team — where his brother is the point guard.
Most experts don’t expect him to be drafted, and LiAngelo doesn’t sound too confident in that, either.
“I’m not sure what’s going on with the draft,” he said. “I’m just playing my hardest and whatever team thinks I can produce for them, that’s who I’ll play for.”
The Lakers were willing to deal with LaVar Ball’s sideshow because Lonzo is considered a generational playmaking talent.
LiAngelo is not near that stratosphere, and it’s unlikely he’ll get the same chance.
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