The world knows that the Charlotte Hornets have a star on their hands in LaMelo Ball. He's capable of scoring at a high clip, but he passes the ball better than he scores it. Ball has the keys to the offense already and routinely makes the game look easy, which is an impressive feat for someone so young.
Hornets head coach James Borrego emphasizes almost every night that this is just what he does. In the Hornets' win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Ball racked up 12 assists as part of a 39-assist effort for the team. Charlotte put up a whopping 140 points, and Borrego praised Ball for getting the team going.
“It's what he does. The 12 assists are important to us. When he has double-digit assists, most times we like the results. He generates that ball movement for us. When he does that it spreads throughout the team.”
Ball is currently seventh in assists with 7.8 per game and has the potential to creep into that top-five range. He just has a real knack for passing the ball, and his teammates love playing with him because of that. Even if Ball doesn't get credit for the assist, he still usually triggers the right basketball play with that extra pass or hockey assist. Ball can help his teammates reach new heights, and we've seen several Hornets play the best basketball of their career.
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The victory over the Pistons featured a record-setting night for Kelly Oubre Jr., who cashed in eight 3-pointers in a quarter. After cooling down, Oubre was asked if LaMelo Ball should be an All-Star this year in the postgame presser.
“Oh, for sure. I'm voting for him, but obviously that's not up to me. He has my vote, though, for sure. As he should have a lot of other NBA players' votes.”
Getting endorsed by your teammates is not a new tactic by any means, but it's always cool to see the camaraderie between them. Of course, Ball is more than just a playmaker. He's a well-balanced player and knows when to score or pass. He picks and chooses his shots very carefully. Sure, his shot selection could be better sometimes, but as he ages he'll have a better idea of where his spots are on the floor.
If LaMelo Ball gets selected to the 2022 All-Star Game, he'd be the first Hornets player selected to the game since Kemba Walker in the 2018-19 season. It would be a huge boost for his confidence, not that he needs it given he's already as confident as they come.
The first returns of All-Star fan voting just came out, and Ball is doing pretty well so far. The Hornets star is fifth among Eastern Conference guards behind DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Trae Young and Zach LaVine. While Ball likely won't be voted in as an All-Star starter, he has a great case to be picked as a reserve, though there will be strong competition.
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