LaMelo Ball is expected to be drafted high in the 2020 NBA draft. He prepared this season by playing pro basketball in Australia. And he went out in style, reportedly by buying the team he’d been playing for. Per ESPN.com:
Potential No. 1 NBA draft pick LaMelo Ball and his manager, Jermaine Jackson, have purchased his Australian NBL team, the Illawarra Hawks, Jackson told ESPN on Thursday.
“We own the team,” Jackson said. “It’s a done deal.”
No financial details were revealed, and the team has not commented on the sale.
Ball arrived in Australia in August as part of the league’s Next Stars program and established himself as a strong candidate to be the top pick in the draft. The 6-foot-7 point guard averaged 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 12 games with the Hawks, posting back-to-back triple-doubles before a foot injury ended his season.
Ball played for the team, put up big stats, his season ended, and then he bought the team. That’s a Big Baller move.
Of course, real big ballers then go on to do great things in the NBA. Which from the looks of it, LaMelo has the ability and potential to do.
