Lonzo Ball: 'I'm better than' Markelle Fultz

Lonzo Ball is showing that his father LaVar isn't the only one who can pump his tires. The presumed top-three pick in June's NBA Draft essentially said Tuesday that he is the best player in the draft class, citing edges he believes he has over consensus No. 1 Markelle Fultz.

"Markelle's a great player, but I feel I'm better than him," the 19-year-old Ball told ESPN Radio 710 LA. "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 were a little kinder than those from LaVar on Fultz.

"If you got a kid that makes everybody better, you mean to tell me you wouldn't take him over a guy that's averaging 40 points but the team's losing?" the elder Ball told TMZ this month. "If you wanna winner, you pick my boy."

Most mocks have Fultz and Ball, both point guards, going 1-2 in the draft. Ball's UCLA Bruins rolled over Fultz's Washington Huskies in two head-to-head matchups this season, winning by an average of 37 points. Their NCAA stats in their one-and-done seasons were similar, although Fultz was sixth in the nation in scoring.

While the lottery order is not yet official, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are likely to pick first and second, respectively. Among several other outlandish statements, LaVar Ball has said he would prefer his son play for L.A.