Is the jury still out on Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball? One ESPN reporter believes what you see is what you get from the score-first 22-year-old star, who's entering his fifth NBA season. ESPN's Tim MacMahon joined Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Show, where he delivered his harsh honest take on Ball's shortcomings as the Hornets' rising star.

“I don't know that LaMelo Ball can play winning basketball. I don't know if LaMelo Ball can be the franchise player on a winner because he's got a pretty empty-calorie game, right? I mean, the man can fill up a box score but his efficiency, despite the fact that he shot the three pretty well, his efficiency is garbage,” MacMahon said. “His defense is horrific and I don't see a lot of evidence that the guy considers winning to be a priority.”

While one analyst considers the Hornets a dark horse in the Eastern Conference ahead of 2024-25, ESPN's MacMahon doesn't think the Hornets are one of the league's “sleepers” that people are overlooking. Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in January, Ball averaged a career-best 23.9 points, 8.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. He was on pace to deliver the best campaign of his young career before a right ankle injury derailed his season.

After missing seven weeks with a sprained ankle in September, LaMelo's reinjured the same ankle a second time, six months later. Ball, who hasn't had a healthy season since 2021-22, his lone All-Star season, missed 36 games the following year but will look to continue his growth as one of the Hornets' franchise pillars.

Miles Bridges wishes LaMelo Ball a happy birthday on social media

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) and forward Miles Bridges (0) celebrate between plays against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Charlotte won 134-116.
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
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LaMelo Ball turned 23 this week and received a special birthday shoutout from Hornets teammate Miles Bridges on social media. Bridges posted a photo of him and Ball on his 24-hour story on Instagram with a caption that said, “Happy RTB day brotha love you gang,” per Sports Illustrated's Ben Stinar.

Playing alongside Ball throughout LaMelo's entire four-year career, Bridges is considered a close friend to Ball, and one of the Hornets' franchise pillars. Bridges signed a three-year, $75 million extension with the Hornets in July. Coming off of a 21-61 record, second-to-last to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte will look to reach the playoffs in 2025.

The Hornets haven't reached the NBA postseason since former All-Star Kemba Walker was the team's rising star in 2016.