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NBA Draft: Is LiAngelo Ball a fit for the Minnesota Timberwolves?

By Cooper Langby

PRIENAI, LITHUANIA - JANUARY 09: LiAngelo Ball of Vytautas Prienai in action during the match between Vytautas Prienai and Zalgiris Kauno on January 9, 2018 in Prienai, Lithuania. (Photo by Alius Koroliovas/Getty Images)
PRIENAI, LITHUANIA - JANUARY 09: LiAngelo Ball of Vytautas Prienai in action during the match between Vytautas Prienai and Zalgiris Kauno on January 9, 2018 in Prienai, Lithuania. (Photo by Alius Koroliovas/Getty Images) /
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There’s been a lot of talk about who the Minnesota Timberwolves may select with the 20th pick in the NBA Draft. But they also have a second-round pick. Is LiAngelo Ball a fit there or as an undrafted free agent?

By now, pretty much everyone in the basketball world is well aware of the Ball family.

(In case you missed it, this should sum it up nicely: LaVar Ball, the outspoken father of a trio of sons, made headlines last year when he claimed he could beat Michael Jordan 1-on-1.)

A lot of people took LaVar and his claims seriously — not the M.J. one, of course, but there were plenty of other outlandish claims to choose from — however they seemed mostly to gain attention and media traction for the family in the lead-up to last year’s draft. Giving credit where credit is due, his plan came to fruition when his oldest son, Lonzo Ball, was drafted second-overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.

The middle of the Ball Brothers, LiAngelo Ball made his own headlines after he was arrested alongside college teammates for stealing sunglasses while the team was in China. The situation resulted in him leaving UCLA and playing basketball with his younger brother in Lithuania for a stint.

But now LiAngelo is eligible to be drafted, and although his intentions to play alongside Lonzo for the Lakers seem clear, plenty of analysts seem certain he won’t be drafted at all.  LiAngelo did work out for the Lakers, and the footage is what you would expect from a draft prospect, however rumors suggested afterwards the Lakers aren’t planning on drafting or signing the middle Ball Brother.

While there’s obviously still a chance the Lakers will draft or sign LiAngelo, whether to their NBA team or G-League affiliate. If he goes undrafted entirely, he’d be worth at least a look from Timberwolves officials in the lead up to the draft.

The Timberwolves finished last season ranked last in the league in 3-pointers made, and with the possible loss of Jamal Crawford this offseason, the Wolves will need to find a replacement shooter to fill a bench role. LiAngelo Ball is a good shooter, and his athleticism could let him to play inside as well as he fills out his frame.

Unfortunately for the middle Ball child, this is often classed as one of his weaknesses. He’s physically strong and stands at 6′-5″ and 215 pounds. He’s kind of stuck in between a shooting guard and small forward in terms of strength and size, however his shooting ability leads to him usually playing the guard position.

The below video from a pre-draft combine showcases some of LiAngelo’s skills:

In terms of his game, LiAngelo averaged 12.6 points per game in Lithuania, starting six of his 14 appearances. He added 2.9 rebounds per game, but other than that wasn’t a big factor in other areas on the court. While in Lithuania, the two youngest Ball Brothers also played in a number of exhibition games, mostly to boost their profiles. In the day he officially declared for the NBA draft, LiAngelo scored 72 points in one of these exhibitions, albeit against a Chinese youth team.

LiAngelo clearly has the ability to score, and his 3-point shooting could certainly come in handy for the Wolves bench, but the baggage he carries off court may be too much for him to really be a candidate for the Timberwolves’ pick at 48.

For one, there’s his father who will always be drawing negative media attention to himself, his sons, and most likely the team around them. We don’t need this in Minnesota after a positive season, and while we’re continuing to try to build a quality team.

Secondly, it’s likely if he ever gets the chance, he will flee to the Lakers at the drop of a hat. The Ball family has made it clear the ultimate goal is to have all three Ball Brothers playing in L.A. on the same team.

Lastly, with his history of off-court troubles, such as the shoplifting incident in China, there’s no guarantee LiAngelo will stay out of trouble if he comes into NBA money. Anything from lavish spending to inappropriate antics could disrupt the basketball culture currently being constructed in Minnesota.

Personally, I still think the Lakers are going to give LiAngelo a shot. With the two-way contracts introduced last season, the Lakers could keep LaVar and Lonzo happy by drafting or signing him, and assign him to the G-League for most of the season, while only allowing him to have brief appearances at the NBA level.

At this point, despite his potential to help with the Wolves’ 3-point shooting, it doesn’t seem as though he’d be the best acquisition for Minnesota.

Next: NBA Draft - Should the Timberwolves Trade Down?

Only time will tell what the future holds for both LiAngelo Ball and the Timberwolves’ second-round pick, but a pairing between the two seems extremely unlikely, and it’s probably for the best.