Lonzo Ball Says He's a Better NBA Draft Prospect Than Markelle Fultz

Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are both widely considered top talents in the 2017 NBA draft and both are likely to be top-three picks June 22. According to Ball, however, he's the better prospect between the two.

"Markelle's a great player, but I feel I'm better than him," Ball told ESPN 710 LA on Tuesday, adding, "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."

Ball's comments aren't terribly surprising, and NBA teams likely will view them as an indication of his competitive spirit rather than bluster. The UCLA product, after all, backed up his assertions on the court, averaging 14.6 points, 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game and leading the Bruins to the Sweet 16.

Fultz has expressed lofty aspirations himself:

In the one matchup between the players—Fultz didn't play in the second game between the teams—Ball posted 22 points, six rebounds and five assists, and UCLA won the game by 41 points. Fultz was the lone bright spot for the Huskies in that game, notching 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. 

Opinions vary on which player deserves to be the top pick, however.

ESPN Insider Chad Ford has Fultz No. 1 on his big board. But of Ball, he wrote, "He has been awesome all year, and one game won't do damage to a guy that has the best court vision of any point guard prospect in a long time. He's still a likely top-three pick, and some lottery teams have him ranked No. 1 on their board."

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report also has Fultz atop his big board, but he noted, "Ball has closed the gap but not enough to unseat Fultz, our No. 1 prospect since the summer."

Preference may be the only thing that separates Ball and Fultz come the draft. If a team prefers Ball's style of play and his ability to make everyone on the court better with his amazing vision, his passing ability and his excellent three-point shot (41.2 percent), he'll be the pick.

Likewise, if teams prefer Fultz's elite scoring repertoire and his ability to attack the basket while also creating easy buckets for teammates, he's the obvious selection. Ball may believe he's the better player, but the two appear to be equally regarded as prospects at this point.