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There's no doubt about Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball's elite-level talent. The question has always been about his durability. But despite his injury-riddled career, Ball has never stopped trying to improve. Just ask Hornets forward Grant Williams.
Since being traded to Charlotte in 2024, Williams has witnessed Ball's character and work ethic. The All-Star guard only played 47 games last season due to ankle and wrist injuries. While being constantly sidelined can be deeply frustrating for many, Williams said Ball has kept his head up.
“He’s doing a lot of things that bring value. Not only his voice, but just his approach. He’s in there every single day. He’s there and present, and I think (he) is somebody we can look to and see, like, ‘He’s actually putting the work in every single day, not this person who is away from us and claims to be doing the work.’ No, he’s doing it every single day. He’s doing every single workout, he’s being available,” said Williams in a report from The Charlotte Observer's Roderick Boone.
The 23-year-old Ball has only played 231 games in five seasons, reaching at least 75 games only once. The Hornets will go as far as he can take them, but he needs to stay on the floor.
For the 26-year-old Williams, Ball is on the right path, especially in taking on the role of being the team's cornerstone.
“Not only just from a like, ‘Hey, let’s go do this.’ If maybe we do a mini-camp, ‘Let’s organize this, I’ll take care of these guys, I’ll do this.’ So, he’s being very, very welcoming in a sense of (being) a leader and understanding that he’s going to have to take it to a more mature step in his role in order for us to be the best team possible,” added Williams, who was limited to just 16 games last season due to multiple knee injuries.
The Hornets haven't been to the playoffs for the past nine seasons, the longest active drought in the NBA.
