UCLA's Lonzo Ball (2) and Oregon State's Stephen Thompson Jr., right, during an NCAA college basketball game in Corvallis, Ore., on Friday Dec. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez)

 Timothy J. Gonzalez

Nobody is more directly responsible for the Bruins’ turnaround this season than Ball, and the NBA sees that. He’s projected as the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, having maximized the offensive talent that surrounds him at every position.Β 

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