The Ball family can't stay out the daily news, can they? Just as they were shown the door by Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor for shoe deals, the Balls make the news again, but with more basketball related news. Lonzo Ball reportedly won't attend the NBA combine after he was one of the 60+ players invited to the event.
Ball must feel confident in his skills not to attend, or maybe this is a decision his father made for him. Ball is a projected lottery pick in this year's upcoming draft, and many have high expectations for him regardless of the team he joins.
Regardless if this is Lavar or Lonzo Ball's decision, will not going to the combine possibly hurt his draft stock?
It's Happened Before
Lonzo Ball isn't the first player to skip out on the combine being a projected lottery pick. Last year's No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons didn't attend the combine. That decision had no impact on his draft stock, as the Sixers still decided to take him first.
Brandon Ingram didn't attend the combine either and he was taken No. 2 overall by the L.A Lakers. Other notables to miss the NBA combine and still be selected in the first round is Domantas Sabonis and Dejounte Murray.
This might be a cautious approach, as Ball isn't trying to get hurt by even doing the simplest things, like an NBA combine workout.
Injuries happen out of nowhere and not attending a combine might not impact your draft stock a lot, but a serious injury will.
Lavar Ball, Lonzo's father, is a businessman, so he knows the financial risk if his son gets hurt during combine workouts. Lonzo doesn't have anything to prove, as he is a floor general and worthy of a lottery pick.
Lottery Gold
Lonzo Ball is coming into the draft after his standout freshman year at UCLA. In this one season with the Bruins, he averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assist, and six rebounds per game. He did this shooting an efficient 55 percent from the field. Shooting that well from the field being a point guard in college is rare, especially in today's kind of basketball where it's more fast paced, and everyone is shooting threes.
Ball was the pilot for the Bruins offense, making everyone around him better and leading them to a three seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ball is projected to go in the lottery, and many compare him to Jason Kidd, a floor general who could score if necessary. Whoever gets the young guard will have themselves lottery gold, as Ball has the potential to be a superstar in the NBA very quickly.
Lonzo Ball might not be the only lottery pick not working out at the combine. Sources say Markelle Fultz will attend the combine, but won't participate in workouts. This decision shouldn't affect either one's draft stock, but owners and scouts will be disappointed, as this was the first time they could've seen these talents in action. Lonzo Ball and his father always have a plan, so let's see if holding him from the draft is part of their big master plan.
