If there's one thing we know about the one and only LaVar Ball, it's that he loves to talk his sons up. This is exactly what he did in a recent appearance on ESPN's The Truth Podcast as he compared LaMelo Ball, who himself got selected third overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the recently-concluded NBA Draft, to none other than Penny Hardaway.

According to LaVar, Penny is the only player in the entire history of the NBA that he finds to be somewhat similar to his son, LaMelo:

 “If I’m comparing Melo to anybody It’s gonna be Penny Hardaway,” LaVar said. “Long lanky frame, athletic, can pass that ball, and do what he want. Penny’s the only one.”

That's actually a fair assessment from LaVar. He's been known for grossly exaggerating some of his statements, but based on what we've seen from LaMelo thus far, his dad actually has a bit of a point here. In his day, Hardaway was one of the most dominant guards in the entire league, and this is something that LaMelo could actually evolve into somewhere down the road.

On Monday against the Toronto Raptors, LaMelo logged 20 minutes of action off the bench for the Hornets. The rookie finished with 12 points, two triples, three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block. This follows his preseason debut on Saturday (also against the Raptors), where he logged 10 boards and four dimes in 16 scoreless minutes.

Ball hasn't exactly been lighting it up for the Hornets in his first two games, but there's no denying that he has shown some flashes of brilliance throughout. At this point, it would be safe to say that this kid has a bright future ahead of him in the NBA.