Despite being in the national spotlight for much of the last half-decade, LaMelo Ball still remains a largely mysterious figure. On the court, Ball is one of the most popular teenage basketball players every. Off the court, only brief glimpses through either “Ball in the Family” or social media show his personality.

Ball offered a rare glimpse behind that curtain during his 2020 NBA Draft Combine media interview last week. When asked about the possibility of being the No. 1 pick, Ball revealed that it has long been a dream of his.

“Yeah. Ever since when I was little, like when you do little projects and stuff, that was one of my goals to go to the NBA and be the No. 1 pick.”

Seemingly depending on the report of the week, Ball’s likelihood of being the top draft pick changes consistently. One of the more recent reports came from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman and stated the Timberwolves favor Ball over Anthony Edwards, though they prefer trading the pick over drafting either prospect.

The fact Ball finds himself in the mix for the No. 1 pick given where he was at this point last year is a surprise and a testament to his hard work not just in the last year but during the entirety of his prep basketball career.