National Basketball Association

Ball Control

Published Nov. 19, 2020 1:26 p.m. ET

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As the dust settles from an NBA Draft unlike any that the basketball world has seen before, the narrative is now shifting from "Who is heading where?" to "How will they fit there?"

For LaMelo Ball, the third overall pick by Michael Jordan's Charlotte Hornets, this question is even more magnified given a number of circumstances ⁠— but more on those in a bit.

Immediately following the draft, FS1 NBA analyst Chris Broussard broke down the top three picks, and when examining Charlotte's selection of the 6'7" point guard, Broussard pointed toward areas of growth for the 19-year-old.

"Keep maturing, be professional. Learn from the GOAT and I think he could become a nice player. I'm not certain he will, cause I've got some question marks ⁠— there's some red flags there ⁠— but he certainly has the tools to be a really good player if he works hard at it."

The scrutiny of Ball largely is a product of his circuitous route to the NBA.

Ball developed his game overseas after his junior year of high school, playing first in Lithuania ⁠— where he famously got in an on-court dust-up in 2018.

He then returned to the United States for a short stint before really settling in with the Illawarra Hawks in Australia's National Basketball League.

It was there that his undeniable talent began to shine through, as he averaged 17.0 points, 7.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

His combination of court vision and ball handling at his size gives Skip Bayless reason to believe Jordan can get the best out of Ball.

"I was joyful that he fell to MJ. Why does LaMelo need MJ? Well, look, I know this is impossible, but if I could pour two ounces of whatever's inside MJ into this kid ⁠— two ounces of killer will ⁠— I might have something that would be MVP-caliber."

And then there are Ball's off-court influences – mainly his father, LaVar Ball, who enjoys a spotlight as much as a napping cat enjoys a patch of sun on the carpet.

The patriarch of the Ball family has long been outspoken about his sons, but for good reason.

Not only did LaMelo go No. 3 overall on Wednesday night, but the eldest Ball son, Lonzo, was drafted No. 2 overall in 2017.

And LiAngelo, the middle son of the trio of Ball brothers, plays in the NBA's G League for the Oklahoma City Blue.

LaVar has been instrumental in setting up his sons to play professionally, but sometimes it seems he might bite off a bit more than he can chew. 

He's often called out his son's new employer in the past, saying he would "kill Michael Jordan one-on-one" and challenging His Airness on numerous occasions.

Now, with LaMelo in Charlotte, the table is set for the subplot showdown to end all subplot showdowns.

The LaVar vs. Jordan clash, if it ever comes to fruition, is one that Shannon Sharpe wants to see handled immediately, then moved on from.

Whatever plays out betwee LaMelo, LaVar and MJ, LaMelo landing with the Hornets is sure to continue creating a buzz seldom seen in the NBA.

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