It looks like the race to become the first guard selected in the 2017 NBA Draft will come down to two players: UCLA guard Lonzo Ball and Washington guard Markelle Fultz. While Ball is the bigger name and played on a much better team this year, Fultz is an athletic freak of nature who is capable of taking over games.
It’s possible that this race could ultimately decide which player is selected No. 1 overall, assuming they don’t get jumped by someone like Kansas forward Josh Jackson or Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox. Both players have their merits, and apparently, Ball was briefly possessed by the spirit of his father while discussing the two.
“Markelle’s a great player, but I feel I’m better than him,” Ball said, according to RealGM. “I think I can lead a team better than him. Obviously he’s a great scorer, he’s a great player, so I’m not taking that away from him.”
That isn’t too controversial of a take, as Ball is just saying that while Fultz is great, he thinks he’s better. But for Fultz, this was some added motivation to prove that he deserves to go over his former Pac-12 rival.
it’s litter pic.twitter.com/czOrsQwUue
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) March 28, 2017
The two guards faced off twice this year, and Ball’s Bruins blew out Fultz’s Huskies both times. UCLA won the first matchup 107-66 and the second game 98-66. (Fultz only played in the first showdown.)
You really can’t go wrong with either, and the decision to pick one or the other will likely come down to who is the better pick for the team picking No. 1 or No. 2. But there’s certainly going to be a fight between the two to determine who should go first, and it’s going to be super fun to watch.
