Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors involve LiAngelo Ball, as he was confident that the Lakers or Phoenix Suns would select him.
Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors have taken a peek into free agency for 2019. There have been rumors involving Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson, two potential targets for Los Angeles next summer.
With LeBron James already on the team, the Lakers are in search of a second superstar to pair with him. Plenty of players want to play alongside LeBron and be a part of the Lakers. One player who was hoping to land with Los Angeles this offseason was LiAngelo Ball.
LiAngelo is the younger brother of Lakers point guard, Lonzo Ball. His tenure at UCLA was cut short as he was suspended for a shoplifting incident while the team was in China. He ended up leaving UCLA, as his father, LaVar Ball, took him out of the school.
LiAngelo would end up playing in Lithuania with the youngest Ball, LaMelo. Their tenure overseas wasn’t great, as the team won very few games. LiAngelo played alright, averaging 12.6 points on 42.5 percent shooting and 41.5 percent from 3-point land. He also chipped in 2.9 rebounds, 0.86 assists, 0.64 steals and 0.14 blocks per game.
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Despite the lackluster performance, LiAngelo was sure he would be selected in the 2018 NBA Draft. The grand plan of LaVar is to have all of his sons in the NBA on the Lakers. Lonzo was the first piece and LiAngelo was expected to be the second. In a recent episode of Ball In The Family, it was revealed that LiAngelo thought that premonition would come to fruition.
LiAngelo was optimistic that the Lakers would select him in the 2018 NBA Draft. The Lakers had acquired an additional second-round pick. Los Angeles ended up using them on Isaac Bonga and Svi Mykhailiuk.
After the Lakers selected Svi, Ball went to a private room in the back. During the episode, it was also revealed that Ball had been in contact with the Lakers, which is why he was optimistic. However, the Lakers weren’t the only team that LiAngelo was in contact with.
With the 59th overall pick in the draft, the Phoenix Suns selected George King out of Colorado. That is when the realization began to sink in that he would not be selected in the draft.
Back from their respective vacations, Denise and Lonzo Ball get down to the business of preparing for baby Zoey’s arrival. Meanwhile LaMelo Ball faces mounting pressure during his first game as an LA Baller for the JBA League as LiAngelo Ball endures disappointment after going undrafted.
Posted by Ball In The Family on Sunday, September 2, 2018
LiAngelo did share that the incident in China probably didn’t help his cause.
"“It sucks I didn’t get drafted tonight. I guess it was the way I played. I guess. Or the (expletive) I did off the court. At this point, I’m just … I’m good.”"
Ball certainly didn’t look like an NBA player during his time overseas. The incident in China certainly didn’t help him, as he didn’t play well enough to make up for the off-court trouble.
Things would only get worse for Ball as he wasn’t added to any Summer League teams. The Ball family and agent, Harrison Gaines, were confident that he would land a deal for Summer League, which enraged LaVar when it didn’t happen.
At this point in time, LiAngelo’s NBA future is very much in doubt. Heading back overseas and working on his game is the best course of action if he wants to eventually make it into the NBA.