In what may have been the most highly-anticipated AAU matchup ever, LaMelo Ball and the Big Baller Brand faced off against Zion Williamson and the SC Supreme on Thursday night. The court was at standing-room only with thousands of spectators jammed into one of the several courts the Cashman Center has to offer. Ballislife launched a live-stream of the contest in which over 80,000 viewers tuned in at one point.
ESPN reported that the game was almost canceled due to security concerns and the underestimation of attendance. An hour prior to tipoff, the court was too full to house any additional spectators, according to ESPN. Damian Lillard, Jamal Murray, Thon Maker, Andrew Wiggins and, of course, Lonzo Ball were among the NBA players in the stands. Even LeBron James supposedly showed up, but ultimately decided to avoid the chaotic scene in Las Vegas.
Analysts at the event raved about the unbelievable environment and attendance the game produced.
Zion Williamson and SC Supreme earned a 104-92 victory, but LaMelo Ball may have had the best performance.
Let's take a look at some takeaways from the contest.
LaMelo Ball's Performance
The 5-star point guard finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists in a very impressive showing. Even with Devon Dotson, a 2018 4-star guard, guarding Ball for the majority of the game, the UCLA commit was able to put on a show.
Despite frequently receiving immense criticism for a lack of effort on defense, especially after his 92-point performance in February, Ball played relatively well on the defensive end. His help defense was often noticeable and effective. Though I am judging on this performance alone, I do believe Ball gives more effort on defense than the consensus would argue.
Moreover, the Chino Hills native gets substantial condemnation for being a selfish point guard.
While he did have his share of ill-advised three pointers, Ball showed fantastic vision on the fast break. He often found the open teammate in the corner or driving to the basket. Ball did, however, commit eight turnovers.
Zion Williamson's Performance
Williamson, the No. 2 prospect in the 2018 class, posted 31 points and eight rebounds in the 12-point victory for the SC Supreme. Needless to say, the South Carolina native was unstoppable in transition. Williamson never threw down a jaw-dropping dunk, but the 6'7" small forward finished many spectacular layups.
Perhaps the most disappointing stat of Williamson's was his abysmal free throw shooting. He shot 6-of-19 from the charity stripe (31 percent).
For comparison, the Big Baller Brand shot 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Williamson got off to an extremely slow start, as he never recorded a point until over 11 minutes had passed in the first half. Once the first bucket went down, Williamson was virtually impossible to stop.
Aside from his outing at the free throw line, it's safe to say Williamson had an excellent performance in front of the thousands in attendance. What the fans didn't get, however, was a posterizing dunk, which can almost be assumed to happen in any game Williamson dresses up for.
Devon Dotson was beaten by Ball
A fast-rising point guard, Dotson was acquired by SC Supreme only days before the event in Las Vegas began. The Charlotte native matched up with LaMelo Ball but was outlasted by the 6'3" point guard.
In truth, I believed Dotson would win the battle, considering Dotson has become one of the best point guards in the 2018 class. Ball's double-double of 34 points and 12 rebounds clearly beat Dotson's 17 points and eight rebounds.
LaVar Ball stole little attention until-
LaVar Ball has certainly cemented a name for himself in the basketball community and beyond. With the national attention he receives on a daily basis, LaVar actually gathered minuscule attention from the broadcasters for a large portion of the game.
With about six minutes remaining in the contest, LaVar was given a technical foul by the officials. From there on, it was all eyes on LaVar.