Back in August, before he became the most exciting player in college basketball, Lonzo Ball was worried about NBA scouts picking him apart. The UCLA freshman’s concern specifically surrounded his quirky shooting motion.

So he changed it – for a few weeks. A decision to experiment with more conventional form was reached during a meeting between Ball, the UCLA coaching staff, his father and his trainer. They collectively formulated an experiment that would take place over three weeks in August ending with the Bruins’ three exhibition games in Australia at the end of the summer. The trial run didn’t go well.

“I was just second-guessing it the whole time,” Ball said.

He immediately returned to the sidewinding form that stretches his right arm across his body at a 45-degree angle. Ball is a right-handed player lifting the ball above his head on the left side of his face, a path typically taken by left-handed shooters. You have to see it in slow motion to entirely appreciate it.

READ: The complete feature story detailing the evolution of Lonzo Ball’s shot

Ball has plenty of reason to feel secure in his decision to return to his unconventional form. Halfway through what will almost certainly be his only season at UCLA, he is shooting 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point line. He is the No. 2 pick in the NBA mock draft released by ESPN’s Chad Ford today.

Though he believes a transition to conventional form is entirely possible, Ball said Australia will likely be the last time he experiments with it.

“I could probably change it with time, but trying to change what I’ve been doing my whole life in a couple weeks, it probably wasn’t going to work. My shot was just too inconsistent.”