Jackson Ball is back to making headlines in New Zealand as he is playing for the Hawke's Bay Hawks again and tearing it up. The last time he was in the NBL NZ, he was turning heads as a 16-year-old, but then he transitioned to the NBL in Australia, which is one of the top professional leagues in the world, and he took some time to adjust to playing against grown men.
However, for the summer, he's playing in his old league again, and he's dominating. Ball is averaging over 19 points, 4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Hawks. His most recent performance had everyone turning their heads. He put up 29 points, 4 rebounds, and one assist in a loss to the Wellington Saints.
Jackson Ball is dominating the NBL NZ again and this time before he heads to Wisconsin
Ball has done this before, when he was 16 and played for the same team and in the same league, he averaged 20.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists for the Hawks.
His time in the NBL was a little more underwhelming as a 17-year-old, where he was only able to get into a handful of games and was a deeper bench piece, a backup point guard. Though he appeared in 11 games, he gained a wealth of experience.
For the Badgers next year, he will play a similar role behind Owen Foxwell, who was a starting point guard in the NBL and averaged 11 points per game. Ball will still need some time to acclimate and grow in his skills, but he continues to show in New Zealand that he's a star and can put up points with the best of them.
While there are some eligibility concerns hanging over the entire NCAA with former professionals heading to college, in the most recent governance. Wisconsin has yet to give any indication that its recruits from Australia are in danger.
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