Chicago Bulls hit jackpot in latest mock draft
The Chicago Bulls are big winners in the latest mock draft.
The NBA restart is in full swing, while the Chicago Bulls are home beginning their offseason early for yet another year. As such, the front office will — if they have not already — turn their sights to the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery (scheduled for Tuesday, August 25th) and subsequent Draft (on Friday, October 16th.
Entering the NBA Lottery, the Bulls have just a 7.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. However, in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft simulation, Chicago somehow defies the odds and lands the top choice.
It would be an early Christmas present for Bulls fans who have seen the team land the No. 7 overall pick in each of the last two drafts. With last year’s No. 7 pick, the Bulls selected point guard Coby White out of the University of North Carolina.
In their mock draft, Bleacher Report has them selecting LaMelo Ball, another point guard which could relegate White to a reserve role coming off the bench, or playing more off the ball.
The brother of former Los Angeles Lakers and current New Orleans Pelicans Lonzo Ball, LaMelo is the latest Ball to descend into the NBA.
It’s an intriguing year for the draft in that there does not appear to be a clear cut top player, so it will likely come down to fit and need.
It’s at least somewhat interesting that the Bulls would add another point guard considering they have White but there’s little doubt that Ball is the more explosive of the two and has significantly more upside.
The 6-foot-7 Ball spent this past season playing in Australia for the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League. You may recall Ball verbally committed to UCLA before forgoing his college career due to concerns over his eligibility, instead choosing to go to Australia where he won Rookie of the Year.
Ball has a ton of talent and upside for sure but also comes with a little baggage — specifically his overbearing father LaVar who has orchestrated every move of his sons’ careers. Candidly, his public interactions with head coach Jim Boylen might be the most entertainment Bulls fans have had in years.