It’s official, LaMelo Ball is heading Down Under after signing with the Illawarra Hawks.
And while a good number of people in that part of the country will surely be excited, not everyone is.
Talk to folks on the street or in any NBL comments section and you’ll quickly detect a discernible anti-LaMelo sentiment.
These are the people who worry Ball will turn the NBL into a circus, and that at 17-years-old, he won’t have the game to justify all the hype.
Let’s start by addressing his game.
LaMelo has legitimate NBA star potential.
It’s as simple as that, and any scout worth their salt would tell you the same.
Hell, NBAdraft.net has him going third at next year’s draft.
This dude is a 6’6 point guard with eye-popping vision and even better range.
He’s even considered by some to have a higher ceiling than Lonzo.
Almost every NBA team will be interested in LaMelo next season, but most NBL teams and many of their fans want no part of him!?
As for the concerns that he could turn the NBL into a “circus”…
This is a league that knows it needs to boost its public profile.
And there has never been a better opportunity to do so than adding one of the most electric prospects on the planet.
Why would you say no to that?
And for that matter, why do so many NBL fans think the league is so good that it doesn’t need one of the best young players in the world?
The NBL has done a great job of turning things around, but it’s never going to be in a position to turn down NBA-level talent.
LaMelo is coming, and it’s time to get excited.
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