Analyzing Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, and More
February 5, 2017
By Alan Lu
Because I live in Seattle, I decided to go check out the matchup between UCLA and Washington live, as this involved two of the top picks for the 2017 NBA Draft in Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball. This game also featured several other notable prospects. Though the game itself was not close at all, it was an entertaining game as both Ball and Fultz played very well here. Here are my thoughts on how they and other prospects fared on this day.
He did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball, and he also showed off strong all-around skills. He especially excelled at knocking down threes from beyond the arc in the second half, and he especially showed a knack for finding his teammates to set up a wealth of scores for them.
Plus, he also defended well, as he was active in playing passing lanes to help collect steals, and he also leapt up to block a shot early on. Ball had a tremendous game to lead his team to a blowout win, as he looks to be a lock to be a top 5 pick for the 2017 NBA Draft.
He was the lone bright spot for his team in a blowout loss to UCLA. Fultz had a terrific game offensively, and he also made some solid plays defensively as well. He really excelled at making shots from all over the floor, as he can make an abundance of threes, and he possesses solid ball handling moves, change of direction ability, and body control to finish plays around the basket to garner scores off the dribble.
Fultz also made very good passes to shooters to set up many scoring chances for them, and he also showed off quick hands to get his team rebounds and steals. He is an elite level talent that can fit in any system as he can score points at will, and he could end up being the top pick of the upcoming draft.
He had a very good game, as he scored 20 points, 10 rebounds, and had 3 assists in a double-digit victory for his team over Washington. He showed off a variety of skills, as he can excelled as a scorer off the dribble on high post drives, as a low post scorer, and he also knocked down mid-range jumpers. Plus, he is a solid athlete that runs the floor well, and he was able to leap up to throw down an emphatic dunk on the break. Leaf is also an unselfish player that will make the extra pass, and he also rebounded the ball well. With his skill set, he could be a solid pick for a team in the mid first round range of the draft.
He had a terrific game, as he played really well on both ends of the floor. He’s a quick combo guard that made shots from all over the floor, as he scored on speedy drives to the hoop, and he also showed a deft ability to make threes. He is also a good athlete that was able to throw down a dunk off the dribble, and he made pinpoint passes, as he threw accurate lobs to set up multiple alley-oop dunks to his teammates. He also played stifling defense, as he also helped force turnovers on that end of the floor. Holiday played really well, and he could be a solid pick for a team in the late first round range of the upcoming draft.
He started off slowly, as he had trouble with some turnovers early in the game, and he had some trouble catching passes at first. But he played better as time wore on, and he ended up scoring 6 points and collected 8 rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench.
But Anigbogu really started to settle in, as he did a very good job of finishing plays in the paint, including one where he ran the floor and leapt up to throw down a thunderous alley-oop dunk to provide a boost for his team. Anigbogu also rebounded the ball really well.
He may be a bit of a project, but he is an intriguing prospect as he is a very athletic big man that could perhaps be worth a look in the late first to second round range, though he may still need to continue to refine his overall game.
The UCLA senior guard did a very good job of making threes off the catch, and he showed an adequate ability to score off the dribble. He is a crafty ball handler that tends to make sound plays when he is on the court, and he could end up being in the NBA as a Brian Roberts type of guard in the association.
Isaac Hamilton, G, UCLA
He didn’t quite have as good of a game as the other players mentioned here, but he was able to make a spot-up three, and he showed an ability to drive to the basket, and also score on mid-range jumpers. Hamilton is an unselfish player that will make the extra pass, though he was erratic with his outside shot in this game. Still, he could be a player that may make an NBA summer league roster, which could perhaps help him find his way into the association.
Overall, this was an entertaining game, even though it was a lopsided affair. Both of the prospects that are rated in the top 5 lived up to their billing, and UCLA played a terrific all-around game. When UCLA plays as well as they did in this game, they look to be among the elite teams in college basketball, as they have the potential to go very far in the NCAA Tournament.
