NBA Summer League’s star performer LiAngelo Ball to sign with an NBA G-League outfit - Reports
With the start of the 2021-22 NBA regular season just around the corner, it's always important to keep an eye on the transactions around the league. It's a popular time for players and NBA teams to make their final decisions about the direction they might want to go in.
Some teams will look to add strategic pieces to their G-League teams, while some players might announce that they are going to head overseas for the upcoming year.
According to Shams Charania, it seems as if the "other" Ball brother has his eyes set on playing in the NBA G-League this year.
After playing for the Hornets in Summer League, LiAngelo Ball is signing a contract in the NBA G League, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Ball will enter the Oct. 23 Draft, where he could be candidate for Charlotte’s Greensboro affiliate.
It's been reported that LiAngelo Ball is going to sign a G-League contract. LiAngelo Ball recently played for the Charlotte Hornets summer league team in Las Vegas. In five games, he went on to average 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and shot 34.5% from outside.
Notably, Ball signed a contract for the G-League because of the draft implications. The G-League draft is expected to take place on October 23rd, so there's a chance that Ball could get selected by one of the G-League affiliates.
Does LiAngelo Ball deserve an NBA Contract?
There's plenty of talk in the basketball world when it comes to LiAngelo Ball. He's had a great amount of success alongside his brothers LaMelo and Lonzo, but LiAngelo has a different type of game compared to the other two.
He's more of an off-the-ball factor compared to his brothers, who are at their best as primary ball-handlers. LiAngelo is more of an outside threat, but he, unfortunately, didn't put up the shooting percentages that teams would hope for during his limited playing time in Summer League. With the way that LiAngelo plays the game, he's more of a small forward trapped inside a shooting guard's body.
There's still a chance that LiAngelo Ball could find himself getting a shot in the G-League. At 6'5" and just 22-years-old, teams could be intrigued by the potential to add LiAngelo to a G-League roster. Although his numbers from Summer League won't wow you, LiAngelo still showed plenty of flashes that made it look like he belonged.
If teams are convinced that Ball can continue to develop his game, while helping out in a G-League rotation with his play on the court, he could be a potential early selection in the G-League Draft. From there, he would have plenty of work to do to prove that he belongs on an NBA roster.
The G-League continues to be one of the strongest developmental tools that NBA franchises have at their disposal. So make no mistake, roster spots with G-League teams are going to be important for each organization. Time will tell if an NBA team believes that LiAngelo could develop into an asset.