NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 10: Dennis Smith Jr. to the Sixers

The Dallas Mavericks are in the enviable position of having a lottery pick where that pick can help fill a hole. The Mavericks have a need at the point guard position in a draft filled with point guards.

UCLA’s Lonzo Ball is one of the many lead guards that figure to go in the lottery of the 2017 draft. What sets him apart, though, is his playmaking ability, court vision and basketball IQ. Ball is an excellent passer, evidenced by his 9.1 assists per 40 minutes with a 31.9 percent assist rate, per Sports-Reference. He is creative when it comes to finding angles and seeing the floor and has no problem whipping lightning quick passes into a shooter’s pocket. Ball is also a very good catch-and-shoot 3-pointer option despite have funky mechanics.

Most questions for the 6-foot-6 guard relate to how his athleticism will translate at an NBA level. In the halfcourt, Ball has struggled to get penetration against good defenders because he’s simply not quick enough. It may also limit the effectiveness of his court vision if he’s unable to act on it in a more sped up environment. On the defensive end, he may lack the ability to stay in front of faster guards.

Learn more about Lonzo Ball on The Step Back.