LaMelo Ball’s name has continued to shoot up the boards, especially now that the NBA Draft lottery is just around the corner.

The youngest of the infamous Ball brood has been pegged as possibly the player with the most upside among LaVar’s three sons.

Ball, 18, certainly had an unorthodox, yet interesting route to the big leagues. Following the advice of his old man, The 6-foot-7 guard withdrew his initial commitment to UCLA and took his act overseas. He split time between the Lithuanian Basketball League and the Australian-based National Basketball League (NBL).

LaMelo also bounced around multiple high schools and had a stint in LaVar’s now-defunct Junior Basketball Association (JBA).

While his journey may look problematic, it didn’t impede his growth as a player. LaMelo Ball looked NBA-ready in his last tenure with the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL, notching 17 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists while shooting 37.7 percent from the field in 12 games. He was also named Rookie of the Year before an injury ended his season.

There is still no clear-cut no.1 pick in this year’s draft, but many expect Ball to be a top 3 pick alongside Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman.

Ball’s varied skill set seems tailor-fit to today’s pace-and-space trend in the NBA. However, this does not guarantee Ball smooth-sailing once he reaches the big leagues.

Let’s rank the five best destinations for Ball come the 2020 Draft Day October 16.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves have been in the lottery for several years now and are still looking for that one pick to help turn things around. They now have the All-Star duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell on board, and it will be interesting to see if LaMelo Ball somehow fits in that scenario.

At first glance, Ball does seem to play eerily similar to Russell, which could both be a good and bad thing for Minny. The Wolves are also loaded with other promising guards including Malik Beasley, Jarett Culver, and Josh Okogie.

But given the rise of position-less basketball over the years, Ball’s well-rounded skill set will be perfect for the Wolves in a small ball setting. He has the size and shooting range to be a decent winger, but must work on his defensive skills for this to happen.

4. Detroit Pistons

LaVar Ball has claimed time and time again that LaMelo will give every NBA team some immediate impact. He will certainly get all the opportunity to shine if he somehow lands in Detroit. Given the Pistons’ rather thin backcourt, playing time won’t be an issue for Ball in the Motor City.

The wiry youngster’s unique blend of size and playmaking ability will be a godsend for the Pistons’ offense, who struggled to execute plays the entire 2019-20 campaign. Playing alongside former MVP Derrick Rose would also do wonders for Ball, just so he could witness the dedication it takes to succeed in the league.

The Pistons went 20-46 in the 2019-20 campaign and has a 10.5 chance to win the lottery.

3. Atlanta Hawks

Ball already played for one Hawks team, and playing for another one in the NBA doesn’t seem to a bad idea. Atlanta, obviously, already has a talented point guard to build around in Trae Young. Melo, however, has the size and length to play off-ball and possibly form a fearsome backcourt tandem with Young. Head coach Lloyd Pierce loves to play fast, something that Ball is extremely familiar with.

The Hawks are currently stockpiling on young talent right now and Ball gives them another promising prospect for the future. ATL has a 12.5 percent chance to get that top pick. The Hawks may opt to go for the more accomplished Anthony Edwards if he is still available for their selection, but Ball should also be an interesting pick to consider.

2. Golden State Warriors

Despite LaVar Ball’s insistence that his youngest son will be better off playing elsewhere, Ball’s career might progress faster if he plays a backseat to the Dubs’ current crop of All-Star guards.

Sure, he’ll probably spend more time on the bench and have mediocre stats contrary to if he plays for a team that will give him heavy minutes. However, constantly being around championship-caliber mentors like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson will definitely hasten Ball’s maturation process.

Despite his promising skills, it’s evident that Ball does have a lot of growing up to do both inside and outside the court.

Plus, he probably won’t be posting empty starts for the Warriors, since the team is expected to return to playoff contention next season.

1. New York Knicks

If Melo really wants the spotlight, the Knicks would be his dream destination. The talented teen will have all the freedom in New York to prove that he could be a go-to guy in the NBA.

The Knicks have some nice young talent in RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Kevin Knox. Ball looks like he fits right into the equation. His flair and penchant for the theatrics will bring back some much-needed excitement to the Mecca that the franchise has been desperately trying to recapture for years.

The Knicks only have a nine percent chance to win the lottery, meaning they’ll likely miss out on mock draft leaders Edwards and Wiseman. Ball would be a nice consolation prize if he does fall on their laps.