LaMelo Ball was heralded as one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory and for good reason after being drafted third overall by the Charlotte Hornets. However, many people thought his success wouldn’t translate to the NBA level for many reasons.
As it turns out, Ball has picked up the translation to the NBA quite nicely and is on pace to have a feat that only Oscar Robertson accomplished.
LaMelo Ball is averaging 18-7-7 per 36 minutes this season.
The only qualified rookie to finish a season with those numbers was Oscar Robertson in 1960-61. pic.twitter.com/DLT4liy6hx
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 27, 2021
Ball has been the heart and soul of the Hornets team and has brought some rejuvenation to the fanbase after years of mediocrity. As you can see, he’s on pace for a historic feat that only Big O has done in the history of the NBA, and that’s saying a lot about the talent of Ball.
He took a while to get going and James Borrgeo’s insistence to bring him off the bench hurt the team more than it helped, although he insisted it was for the good of Ball.
Nonetheless, Ball got thrown into the starting role after the Hornets suffered a number of injuries to Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward, to name a few.
The rookie is averaging 14.8 points per game with six boards and 6.1 dimes and has seen his usage go up late;y, due largely to all the injuries around the Hornets squad. He’s made the most of his opportunity and will be tough for Borrego to keep bringing him off the bench, especially with the Hornets fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Ball will only get better and once he gets stronger and can shoot at a higher clip, he could very easily be the best player in the 2020 NBA draft class and could potentially be the face of the entire NBA.
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