LaMelo Ball has taken the NBA by storm in just his second year in the league. The reigning Rookie of the Year lived up to all the hype surrounding him last season but somehow, he's been able to further elevate his game this term. So much so, that the Charlotte Hornets star has now barged into the MVP race to join the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Yes, you read that right. LaMelo is now being mentioned in the same sentence as the Curry's and the Durant's. According to league insider Michael C. Wright, a senior writer of NBA.com, Ball has now done enough to propel himself into the Most Valuable Player conversation.
It's no surprise that Curry is still the heavy favorite to bag his third MVP trophy this season. The Warriors star is just playing at a different level right now and it's nearly impossible to question his MVP credentials. Behind Steph are Durant, Giannis, Nikola Jokic, and Chris Paul, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10 are Jimmy Butler, the Chicago Bulls duo of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, Trae Young, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, respectively.
LaMelo hasn't cracked the Top 10 just yet, but for the first time in his career, the Hornets star has been named as an honorable mention in the MVP ladder. He joins the likes of Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, James Harden, and Ja Morant as the five hopefuls that are creeping their way into the race. Needless to say, Ball is keeping quite the company right now.
In all honesty, LaMelo's chances of actually taking home the Most Valuable Player award at the end of this season are (extremely) slim to none. Nevertheless, the fact that he's now being considered to be at the same level (or at least close to) the other top superstars in the league speaks volumes of just how outstanding the second-year guard is.
Oh, and in case you forgot, LaMelo Ball is just 20 years of age. The sky is truly the limit for this kid and he's going to be taking the Hornets with him.
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