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Charlotte Hornets talent LaMelo Ball is already considered one of the best young players under the age of 25 in the NBA. In his first season, he broke records that were set by NBA legends in their rookie years. Clearly, he hasn't slowed down in year two.
In the overtime loss on November 8th against the Los Angeles Lakers, Ball became the youngest player in NBA history with at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Not to mention, that it came against the triple-double king himself in Russell Westbrook. Unfortunately, Ball's performance wasn't good enough to come out with a win, but it's something to build off of for the Hornets.
Triple-doubles seem easy to obtain since the whole world has witnessed Russell Westbrook do it at a high frequency. However, it is still one of the most challenging things to do on a basketball court. It also shows that Ball impacts the game in multiple ways on the offensive side of the ball. Outside of the basics of shooting and playmaking, he knows how to get to spots on the floor where his teammates and himself are comfortable.
Without his efforts, the Charlotte Hornets might have been blown out. So it isn't just simple “stat padding”.
LaMelo Ball impacts winning. When he's on the floor his team will have a good chance to do so. Triple-doubles are always the sexy looking stat, but if he can average numbers just under that feature, the Hornets will have a better shot to make the postseason. They haven't been there since 2016, but they should like their chances. Ball has had a good season so far, but so has his running mate, Miles Bridges. Bridges is in contention for the Most Improved Player award and he should give some credit to his point guard.
The Hornets dropped their last five games, but maybe LaMelo and the Hornets can get back in the win column as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on November 10th, at 8:00 PM. If Ball can replicate any bit of that performance against the Lakers, he should love his chances.
