NBA prospect Lonzo Ball to forego Draft Combine

Lonzo Ball. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

Lonzo Ball dazzled scouts and executives alike during his one year stay as the primary playmaker for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins.

However, interested NBA franchises won’t be able to gauge his full potential through the upcoming NBA Draft Combine, as he will reportedly skip the traditional process all together.

The 19-year-old point guard, widely expected to be a top-five pick in this year’s draft, will not participate in the festivities in Chicago from May 9 to 14, ESPN reported.

The combine has been a staple for the league’s drafting process, where prospects undergo measurements, participate in interviews, take part in shooting drills, take medical tests and go through five-on-five drills which may help or hurt  their stock.

Ball will follow the footsteps of last year’s blue chip recruit Ben Simmons, who still went number one overall despite skipping the process entirely.

Other noteworthy talents like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid opted not to participate in their respective Draft Combines as well.

Some participating recruits, meanwhile, show up but choose to sit out on some events.

For instance, rookies Brandon Ingram, Jamal Murray and Buddy Hield declined to take part in athletic testing last year. Khristian Ibarrola/JB

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