LaMelo Ball declared himself born to be the NBA's number one pick on the eve of the 2020 Draft.
Ball – the younger brother of 2017 second pick Lonzo, who now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans – is projected to be drafted first during Wednesday's virtual event amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 19-year-old was crowned the 2019-20 NBL Rookie of the Year during his stint with the Illawarra Hawks in Australia, where he averaged 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 12 games before a foot injury cut short his season.
Speaking ahead of the draft, American guard Ball said on Tuesday: "I feel like I'm born for this."
The Minnesota Timberwolves hold the number one pick, ahead of the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets.
Ball, who became the youngest player in NBL history to record a triple-double, added: "I feel like I'm just the right man for it. Like I said, I feel like I'm born for this whole thing going on, so that's pretty much my answer right there.
"You only go through this process once, so I'm really just enjoying all of it."
"I don't look at anything like that as pressure," he continued. "Like I said, it's just basketball. So, being the number one pick definitely holds a lot, but I'm glad I was born for it."
