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NBA Draft Preview: What’s the best spot for LaMelo Ball and the rest?

By Kahrima Winston

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamelo Ball of the Hawks drives to the basket during the round 8 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and the Cairns Taipans at WIN Entertainment Centre on November 25, 2019 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamelo Ball of the Hawks drives to the basket during the round 8 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and the Cairns Taipans at WIN Entertainment Centre on November 25, 2019 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images) /

Behind Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball is the most notable of the draft picks. Where will he land?

This is where things get interesting. LaMelo Ball, the basketball phenom from the Ball family. Ball already has an older sibling in the league, Lonzo Ball, who was drafted No. 2 overall and plays just like Jason Kidd and plays for the Pelicans.

The hype for Melo screams No. 1 draft pick, but the realism here is that a squad like the Hornets who are drafting at No. 3 could use LaMelo. The odds of Melo wanting to play in Charlotte are slim, but the odds of him becoming the star of a franchise are huge.

Also, Charlotte has its attractions. It’s home to a storied and likable franchise history. The Hornets got their name back and they have a few young talents on their team waiting for a player like Melo to take over and take them to the next level. The ownership of the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan, might attract Ball, which many overlook.

The city is there. The roster is there, which is due for an upgrade. Michael Jordan is there. The family-like atmosphere that would surround Ball is not to be undermined. I can picture LaMelo in the baby blue uniform wearing number 23 or any number of his choosing with his name on the back. The Hornets fit his potential, his personality, and would throw this draft into the right swing of things.

Like Edwards and Wiseman, Ball isn’t expected to go any later than the top pick, and his name is bigger than the rest. Also, like Edwards and Wiseman, finding the perfect fit is in the air, so why not use it to your advantage?

This draft is interesting, and so are its players and teams. Ball’s playstyle fits into any number of these teams. He’s a 6’5” slashing scorer who will only get better and develop over time. The sky is the limit for Ball, and his ceiling is probably up there with the likes of Curry, Durant, Paul George, and Jordan himself.

If not Charlotte for LaMelo, then he could always go down to M.J.’s former team, the Chicago Bulls. I would risk my namesake to go later in the draft and find the right team. The Hornets and the Bulls both seem like better fits than the T-Wolves and Warriors right now.

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