LiAngelo Ball, the younger brother of Lakers’ rookie Lonzo Ball, has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, according to reports from Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
Yahoo reports that according to his agent Harrison Gaines, Ball has formally submitted early-entry paperwork to enter the draft, and will soon begin working out for teams around the league.
The following is from Yahoo Sports,
LiAngelo Ball is expected to work out for several NBA teams when he returns from playing for Vytautas and will participate in the Pro Basketball Combine at IMG Academy (Florida) in May in front of team executives. As NBA teams increasingly value 3-point shooting and defending wings, Ball will have an opportunity to prove to teams that he is a potential draft pick.
There are doubts as to whether Ball will be drafted this June. Def Pen Hoop’s Nicola Lupo noted Ball’s apparent lack of ability to create for himself on the offensive end, coupled with his lack of attention to detail on the defensive end could have a negative impact on his draft positioning. Lupo did indicate that Ball is a capable scorer who has shown touch from behind the arc.
Check out some of his recent highlights in Lithuania, courtesy of Overtime, including a game where he dropped 72 points on the day he declared for the 2018 NBA Draft.
The 19-year-old former UCLA enrollee has spent the past few months playing professionally in Lithuania after being pulled from college before the start of the season. In Lithuania, Ball is averaging 15.7 points and shooting 45 percent from three on 6.7 attempts per game.
UCLA suspended Ball after he and two other teammates were arrested in China for shoplifting from stores in China. Following the announcement of the suspension for Ball and his teammates, his father, Lavar Ball, pulled him from the school. Ball and his 16-year-old brother LaMelo both play for Vytautas.
Both Ball brothers lead their Chino Hills high school basketball in California to a state championship in 2016.
