Report: Wizards sent multiple scouts to watch LaMelo Ball in Australia

The Washington Wizards may have their sights set on a specific prospect in the upcoming draft.

The Wizards sent multiple people to Australia this past season to scout potential No. 1 pick LaMelo Ball, even going as far as to hire a full-time scout in the area, reports NBC Sports Washington's Chase Hughes.

Ball is projected to be a top-three pick in the draft. He is ranked as the third-best prospect available by theScore, while The Athletic's Sam Vecenie and ESPN list him first and second, respectively.

It's unclear how intrigued the Wizards are with Ball's game, but the club may require some creativity if it hopes to draft him. If the regular season ended without any more games played, Washington would finish with the ninth-worst record in the league at 24-40. That would give the Wizards a 4.5% chance of landing the top pick. Their most likely slot would be at No. 4, with a 5.7% chance.

There's also the question of fit surrounding Ball and the Wizards' roster. Washington already boasts one of the more exciting backcourt tandems, when healthy, in John Wall and Bradley Beal. They are both under contract through 2021-22. However, Wall has not appeared in a game this season since tearing his Achilles in early 2019.

Ball played just 12 games in 2019-20 with the NBL's Illawarra Hawks due to a season-ending foot injury. However, he was still named the league's Rookie of the Year after averaging 17 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists.