NBA Draft 2020: Coach K Picks the Best PG in the Draft and it's not LaMelo Ball
The NBA Draft is almost upon us. Teams are plotting their picks and adjusting their roster outlook for the 2020-21 NBA season. Last season's Rookie of the Year Ja Morant followed Trae Young and Luka Doncic's emergences as some of the most exciting players in the league at the moment. Therefore, NBA sides will be looking for the next major talent out of the Draft.
This year's NBA Draft sees LaMelo Ball ranked as one of the top talents, heavily tipped to be among the first few picks on Wednesday night. However, Duke Coach Krzyzewski suggests teams could be overlooking his team's point guard from last season.
NBA Draft 2020: Coach K insistent LaMelo Ball should not be the no.1 point guard selection
LaMelo Ball is already a celebrity. Part of a reality TV show Ball in the Family, LaMelo is part of a new breed of basketball player. He has crafted his form outside of America and managed to avoid the NCAA to land as potentially the No.1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
It's his celebrity status however, that may determine where he is drafted. A player coming into the league with more Instagram followers than most and a father who loves the limelight could prove too much hassle for many head coaches. Meanwhile, on the court, his size fails to fall into any position's category and his shooting form is questionable. Although crafting his talent abroad in Europe and Australia, LaMelo will have to adapt quick to a system he is yet to experience.
A player who is well attuned to the American collegiate system is Tre Jones. Having played for Duke for two years, one of those alongside Zion Williamson, Jones has improved drastically since his freshman year. He comes into most NBA Draft proposals outside the top ten, a fact his former coach was looking to address when he appeared on NBA TV.
Tre Jones shot 42% from the field last year, scoring 16 points and 6 assists. Though not the most athletic player, Jones has a lot to offer on both ends of the floor and comes from a college basketball system known for churning out reliable NBA talent.
The NBA Draft is still six days away and teams have a lot to consider before making their choices. If they are serious about their future, listening to the words of a coach who has spent 40 years at Duke is not the worst advice to go off.