Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been named 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Ball beat out Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton to win the award.
LaMelo Ball was the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft behind Edwards and James Wiseman. While he started the season coming off the bench, Ball soon made waves and earned a starting spot.
The 19-year-old missed time with a wrist injury, but he still helped the Hornets earn a spot in the play-in tournament. Charlotte finished with a 33-39 record to get the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference, but the play-in tournament game against the Indiana Pacers didn't go well.
Still, the Hornets now have a franchise player in LaMelo Ball who gives them a very promising future. The young guard showed off his transcendent playmaking ability throughout his rookie season while also showing his potential as a scorer. He averaged 15.7 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 43.6% from the field and 35.2% from 3 in 51 games.
Anthony Edwards came on strong as the season went on for the Timberwolves to finish with 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 41.7% overall and 32.9% from 3-point range. Tyrese Haliburton was rock solid all season for Sacramento, averaging 13.0 points, 5.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting an efficient 47.2% from the field and 40.9% from 3-point range.
However, that wasn't enough to beat out LaMelo Bell for this award. It will be fun to watch these guys develop as their careers go on.
Follow Us
Subscribe