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The Charlotte Hornets struggled mightily heading into the All-Star break, going 1-9 over their last 10 games. The All-Star festivities provided a nice reprieve for the Hornets, including LaMelo Ball, who showed out in the All-Star Game in Cleveland.
Ball finished with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the star-studded affair. He is averaging 20.0 points, 7.5 assists, and 7.1 rebounds in his first 53 games of the season. His play has caught the attention of everyone, including the legendary Magic Johnson.
“He's a gym rat like I was,” Magic said. “They're building something special down in Charlotte and it starts with him at the point guard.”
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Any type of positive praise from a five-time champion and an all-time great is amazing to hear. But it means even more when you play the same position as the legend himself, a man who is arguably the greatest point guard in the history of the game. Magic emphasized LaMelo's high IQ and flair for the showtime play that makes him so fun to watch. The Hornets youngster certainly has a bit of Magic in him, especially considering he is a tall point guard as well. Magic clearly sees some similarities in their games.
This praise shows that LaMelo continues to be on the right track to success after winning Rookie of the Year last season. He has made history a few different times this season already. He is the franchise leader in triple-doubles with six, which also helped him break a tie with LeBron James for the third-most ever before the age of 21. Only Magic and Luka Doncic are ahead of him on that list. Plus, LaMelo is the fourth-youngest All-Star behind Kobe Bryant, LeBron, and Magic.
LaMelo's resume is already extremely impressive. There aren't many other players with that kind of resume other than Hall of Fame-level players. The Hornets star is a special talent who should be making All-Star Games for years to come.
The Hornets have a group of nice young players and seasoned veterans on their squad. Miles Bridges has emerged as another potential All-Star alongside LaMelo. Their recent lottery pick, James Bouknight, is another interesting piece. Bouknight has seen limited action this season, but he and LaMelo can become a lethal backcourt sooner rather than later. As for the veterans, Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier have held it down for the most part, at least when healthy.
LaMelo brings all those guys together and has emerged as a leader of the Hornets. Now, they must regroup after the All-Star break and get back to their winning ways. There is still plenty of time to turn things around for Charlotte.
