In a moment that stunned NBA scouts and teams alike, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball revealed during a pre-draft interview that one of his post-basketball aspirations was to become President of the United States.
The revelation – reported by Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic on The Ringer’s Zach Lowe Show – reportedly factored into the Minnesota Timberwolves’ decision to bypass Ball and select Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
According to Krawczynski, Minnesota’s front-office interview with Ball covered typical topics: leadership style, basketball IQ, community impact. But when asked about his long-term plans, Ball stunned the room by declaring he wanted to run for president after his playing days.
“That kind of answer raised red flags,” Krawczynski said, noting that the Wolves were assessing whether Ball was prepared to focus on basketball first.
Ball was ultimately selected third overall by Charlotte. Since entering the league, he’s averaged around 21 points, 7.5 assists and 6 rebounds per game over six seasons – a strong career start though not without injury setbacks.
Ambition versus evaluation
The admission has raised questions about how professional evaluators weigh non-sporting ambitions in prospects. Executives told insiders that talking about presidential aspirations while interviewing may signal a lack of short-term focus – especially in the high-stakes environment of the NBA Draft.
For Ball, the response now looks less like pre-planning and more like part of his larger-than-life brand.
Today, at 23 years old and anchored in his third season with the Hornets, LaMelo remains clearly focused on hoops – but the memory of his comment lingers. In an era where athletes crossover into business, politics and media, the idea of a basketball player eyeing the White House doesn’t feel far-fetched.
Yet NBA decision-makers viewed it differently in 2020 – not as vision, but as distraction. Whether Ball ever pursues politics or simply harnesses the attention as part of his personal narrative, his presidential ambition remains among the boldest draft-day statements in modern basketball.
Read the full article here
