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The projected first overall pick LaMelo Ball led individual training in front of the head coaches and executives of the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons on Thursday in Southern California, sources told ESPN.
These three teams have the No. 2, 3 and 7 picks, respectively, in the NBA Draft next week.
It was the second Private Practice Ball awarded. On Wednesday, he led shooting, ball handling and conditioning drills for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who own the No. 1 pick in the draft. Ball had met and interviewed the Timberwolves, Warriors, Hornets and Chicago Bulls (owners of Pick # 4), respectively, over the past few weeks.
He also recently submitted for a medical exam that follows NBA protocol, a source said. The results of this review will be released to the 30 teams ahead of Wednesday’s draft.
The Pistons’ presence in training could be an indication that they think they have the assets to trade on draft night, as it seems unlikely that Ball will still be available with the No.7 pick.
With the draft less than a week away, there is still no clear indication of how the summit will form. Along with Ball, Memphis center James Wiseman and Georgia goalkeeper Anthony Edwards also compete for the top three.
The Timberwolves have met and worked with Edwards before, but received a cold shoulder from Wiseman. A source told ESPN that Wiseman viewed situations with the Warriors and Hornets as more conducive to his long-term growth, and he had conducted training sessions with just those two organizations. Despite that, and the presence of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, Wiseman remains a candidate for the Timberwolves, potentially intending to trade him on draft night.
Edwards has conducted practice sessions with each of the teams choosing from the top three and could yet meet a second time with these franchises to solidify his candidacy in an attempt to separate from the field.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA Draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analysis service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.
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