Five days after LaMelo Ball became the youngest player in NBL history to notch a triple double, he set yet another record to continue his hot start in Australia.
Ball secured another triple double on Saturday against the New Zealand Breakers, becoming the first player in the 40-minute quarter era of the NBL to have two consecutive triple doubles. His 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists sparked a second half rally for the Illawarra Hawks, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to the Breakers 91-78.
This adds to Ball’s highlight-filled season in Australia, and comes off the heels of his impressive 32-11-13 performance in Monday’s win over Cairns.
Through 12 games, LaMelo has averaged 16.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and just 2.2 turnovers in 30.7 minutes per game.
While he had some shooting struggles early in the season, things seem to have clicked for Ball since the Hawks lost Aaron Brooks to a torn Achilles on Oct. 27. Since then, he has averaged 22.3 points on 42% shooting, 8.3 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.8 steals.
Although the competition in the NBL isn’t on par with the NBA, Ball’s leadership and overall presence on the court have stood out and NBA teams have taken notice. He keeps adding onto his case for being a lottery pick, maybe even the No. 1 pick, in the NBA Draft in June.
