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LaMelo Ball has been nothing short of a revelation for the Charlotte Hornets, even if the pairing initially began a bit wonky.
Back in late January, LaVar Ball expressed his disappointment over the playing time of his youngest son, LaMelo, with the Charlotte Hornets. He even fired subtle shots at Hornets head coach James Borrego for not naming his son as a starter despite being picked third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
“My thing is he ain't happy with that, but he ain't go show that,” Ball said via CBS Sports. “If I train you to be the best and always been starting all your life — here is what they don't get. My boys are not freakin' role players! They superstars! Let them do what they do!”
LaMelo Ball started the season by playing off the bench and was only held to averages of 12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists through 25 minutes in 20 appearances. The 19-year-old guard often showed flashes of potential but couldn't fully maximize his bearings due to his limited playing time on the floor.
Perhaps the dealbreaker for the Hornets was when LaMelo Ball became the youngest player in league history to tally a triple-double back on Jan. 9 against the Atlanta Hawks. He recorded 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists to contribute to a 113-105 victory.
After several games, Borrego finally made sense of LaVar Ball's words when he named the rookie as a starter back on Feb. 1. against the Miami Heat. Ball posted his usual numbers of 14 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in that particular game en route to a 129-121 win.
Since then, the rookie eventually saw an increased level of production as a starter and averaged norms of 22.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. The Hornets are also averaging more points per game with Ball as a starter with 120.8 points as compared to their previous tally of 107.7 points in the first 19 games of the season.
On that note, Charlotte was able to post a 3-2 record since Ball was named as a starter. Their latest win came on Monday night against the Houston Rockets where they easily dominated their visiting opponents, especially in the fourth quarter. The rookie finished the tilt with 24 points on a career-high 7-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc, along with seven rebounds and 10 assists in 31 minutes.
Apart from him, five other Hornets players scored in double-digits which led to a 119-94 victory for the team. The Hornets are now on a two-game winning streak to account for a 12-13 record to sit in the sixth spot of the Eastern Conference.
Basing on the numbers alone, it was clear how LaMelo Ball was able to make a valuable impact and give another dimension to the Hornets offense. His rare combination of height and a streaky shooting touch along with his playmaking abilities have all given the Hornets a fighting chance to compete against playoff teams in the league.
It remains to be seen if LaMelo Ball will continue to play as a starter for head coach James Borrego for the remainder of the season. However, the rookie has already proved that he can contribute a ton of things on the floor and effectuate the complexion of the game for the better.
Both the Hornets and LaMelo Ball will certainly have a bright future ahead of them if the 19-year-old can sustain his momentum and continue to improve even more in the years to come.
