HE'S yet to make his regular season NBL debut but Hawks next star LaMelo Ball has already made a major impression with a dramatic climb up the ESPN 2020 NBA mock draft.
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The sporting media giant's draft analysis ranks potential draft picks, with Ball climbing 20 spots to sit at number three with an unnamed executive telling ESPN:
"If he keeps this up, I don't see any way he isn't in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick.
"He completely changed my perception of the type of prospect he is, and all of the background info I gathered here from his coaches and teammates paint a very different story of what I thought about him off the court as well."
Ball, and fellow 'Next Star' RJ Hampton's presence in the league saw reps from 27 NBA teams flock to Tasmania, with Ball turning it on in his only Blitz appearance.
The just-turned-18-year-old nudged triple-double territory with 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in an overtime victory over Perth.
He was rested from his side's second Blitz outing against Melbourne United with a back niggle but he's already made his presence felt.
It followed a 21-point performance against the Phoenix and 14 against United in the Hawks two preceding preseason clashes.
