NBA Draft 2017: UCLA's Lonzo Ball will skip NBA Combine, report says

Ron Clements

NBA Draft 2017: UCLA's Lonzo Ball will skip NBA Combine, report says image

Lonzo Ball is saying thanks, but no thanks.

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Confident he'll be the No. 1 overall pick in June's NBA Draft, the UCLA guard has declined an invitation to next month's NBA Combine in Chicago, according to ESPN.

The NBA has invited more than 60 prospects for June's two-round draft to the combine, which runs from May 9-14 at Chicago's Quest Center.

Ball, a 6-6 guard who averaged 14.6 points, 6 rebounds and 7.6 assists last season while leading the Bruins to the Sweet 16, might not be alone in skipping the combine. Other top prospects might also decline the invite, according to the ESPN report. 

Last year's No. 1 overall pick, 6-10 forward Ben Simmons, also skipped the combine, which teams use to put prospects through drills but also perform medical checks. Simmons missed his entire rookie season because of ankle and foot injuries. 

Ball is among a handful of players considered for the top pick in this year's draft, along with Washington guard Markelle Fultz, Kansas swingman Josh Jackson, Kentucky guard De'Aaron Fox and Duke forward Jayson Tatum.

Ron Clements