Arizona freshman center DeAndre Ayton could be the No. 1 overall pick in June, according to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. The 7’1” Ayton has proven to be a highly productive for the otherwise disappointing Wildcats, averaging 20.4 PPG, 11.4 RPG and 1.4 BPG in his first eight college games. He has a 7-foot-5 wingspan and has shown a high basketball IQ, Brigham continues. At worst, Ayton should be a top-three lock, Brigham adds.
In other news involving the league:
- The trade packages the Knicks and Pacers received from the Thunder in blockbuster deals this offseason have proven to be far better than expected, as ESPN’s Kevin Pelton notes. Center Enes Kanter, the best player the Knicks got back in the Carmelo Anthony trade, is a good fit as Kristaps Porzingis‘ frontcourt partner, while Porzingis has thrived as a No. 1 option in Pelton’s analysis. Victor Oladipo has actually outperformed Paul George in his expanded role with Indiana, according to Pelton’s metrics. The other player the Pacers received in the deal, center Domantas Sabonis, has improved sharply while playing more often in the post than he did in Oklahoma City, Pelton adds.
- The league and several owners have positioned themselves to cash in on expanded betting on its games, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst examines in an in-depth piece. The league would prefer changes in current federal laws and the creation of a unified commission to oversee the expanded betting operations, Windhorst continues. The Hornets’ Michael Jordan, the Wizards’ Ted Leonsis and the Mavs’ Mark Cuban have recently invested in a company focused on real-time data distribution, which would facilitate in-game wagering, Windhorst adds.
- Lonzo Ball‘s younger brother LiAngelo Ball has no chance of being selected if he declares for next June’s draft, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. LiAngelo Ball would have trouble finding a spot in any professional league, including the G-League, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter links). UCLA announced on Monday that the younger Ball intends to leave the program, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic tweets. The freshman was arrested along with two teammates in China on shoplifting charges and suspended by the school after being allowed to return to the United States.
Please read article on CBSsports.com on LaVar Ball. It is well written. Says the best thing that could happen to UCLA is getting rid of LaVar, and that LiAngelo will never play in the NBA (or the G League). Says LaVar can’t tolerate people having power over him. Get over it!
LaVar is going to ruin LiAngelo, which is sad. He really needs to step back and let his kids perform without the circus around them.
LaVar is truly a piece of garbage. It’s not the self promotion, or controversial things he says, it’s the ruining of LiAngelo and the undue pressure he’s put on Lonzo that makes him a special kind of hot garbage.
SB Nation says LaVar is looking to take LaMelo and LiAngelo overseas, but their season has already started, and they wouldn’t want a 16 year old, or LiAngelo who is barely a top 250 prospect. Says does he plan on taking them to China?
Is LaVar doing this to his kids because he never made it to the NFL?
Who cares what the moron does? The media should ignore the jackass and we should stop reading/writing about BBB. Why do people with bad teeth feel the need to show them off when the camera is on? LaVar skipped the trip to the dentist as well as the school of common sense.