Destiny is a thing of beauty. Lamela wrapound pass to Mark. That is the wizardry of his passing. Normally, an individual doesn’t find it until they’ve reached the peak of their journey. Once the hours of hard work have culminated into a career of success. Oh my goodness. Off of his left foot one only. Wonderful basketball by number one.
But this is the story of what happens when the spotlight reaches you before your destiny does. The story of what it means to grow up under a microscope yet still find a way to achieve more than anyone imagined. What happens when your destiny finds you before you even think you’re ready? Stop. Look up in the camera. He really looked up.
Oh, I thought he’s nut. You do you want to get Give me that one line. Hi, Elmo. The Ball family kind of burst onto the scene, I think, in a lot of ways. [Music] [Applause] My earliest memories of LaMelo were probably what a lot of people remember and being kind of this I mean he looked really little.
This young high schooler who is putting up these goddy stat lines that are hard to believe. You saw the halfcourt shots, the kind of playground style style of [Applause] [Music] basketball. I never lacked confidence. feel like I was born with it, you know? I always feel I could do anything. A lot of people forget that LaMelo reclassed to be able to play with Lonzo and LiAngelo um at Chino Hills in in 2016.
So, LaMelo is actually an eighth grader, if you will, playing on a varsity basketball team. So, he was under a spotlight. I mean, younger than a lot of national high school players. [Applause] To LaMelo’s credit, he handled it really well, but it also was an extremely unfair spotlight on a young kid that was still figuring out not just himself, but basketball and who he was in basketball.
[Applause] Well, I was scouting the 2017 NBA draft and Lonzo Ball was a prospect at the time playing at UCLA. And you kept hearing in all the broadcasts and all the breakdown that he was the oldest of three brothers, right? And I remember hearing during that draft cycle that that hey, the best one could be the youngest brother.
Just a few months after Lonzo gets drafted number two overall to uh to the Los Angeles Lakers, you have LaMelo dropping 92 points in a high school game, second most in California state history. [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] One of the moments I realized just how popular he was is when he played Zion in that AAOU tournament, I believe in Vegas, where it was like standing room only, completely sold out streaming. [Applause] just seeing how many people were flocking to that and
watching that to see that him play. Uh, I think that’s when you kind of started to realize that, oh, he’s he’s a really big deal. He’s kind of one of the next ones up. I didn’t think LaMelo Ball being in the spotlight when so young was a good thing for his NBA career. I mean, you see players so often crumble when they have the national spotlight on them.
For every LeBron James, there’s, you know, Aqaame Brown, Dark Omeic, these guys who are big heralded high school, you know, recruits who just end up grading out differently. What age could you tell Melo was built for this? At what age? Before he came out the womb. I mean, when I first saw him being so famous, so young, they were they were kind of communicated to the world as the Kardashian family of sports.
The Ball Boys are my three sons. Most dominating basketball players ever to be raised. So your son LaMelo gets a signature shoe. Yeah. Life is sweet. We put together a plan and and been working on it ever since they’ve been born. Who’s this team driving a Lambo like that? Their own Lambo. There aren’t a lot of players that I can remember.
A lot of prospects at that young of an age that were under kind of that level of there was a lot of scrutiny. There was a lot of hype. There was just everything being thrown at him. Just so much attention being placed to him. ESPN released an article in 2017 calling LaMelo Ball the most hated high school athlete of all time. I could not imagine being 16 years old, logging on to Twitter or Instagram or whatever the popular messed of social media was at that time, but see that there’s an article posted about me saying, “Oh, I’m the most hated high school athlete of all time.” It was an ungodly amount of pressure. It
would be the following summer prior to his junior year that LaMelo would find himself leaving the traditional path of a top basketball prospect. You see, at the heart of the Ball family was the outspoken and passionate head of the table, Lavar Ball. Lavar had become a celebrity in his own right with outlandish predictions and over-the-top antics that had made him a media sensation.
One, I’m undefeated. Never lost. After multiple disputes with the coach of Chino Hills, Lavar had decided that LaMelo’s time at the school should come to an end. All you got to do is do like coach B. Get along with me and guess what? You go 35 and0. When you try to do it your way, goodbye.
Lavar Ball, according to the LA Times and Ramona Shelburn, is pulling LaMelo Ball from Chino Hills High School. They have now signed pro contracts with a Lithuanian club. He has pulled not only his son from UCLA on a scholarship, he has pulled his other son, who is 16 years old, out of high school. and they have both signed contracts with a very small Lithuanian basketball team.
One of the most controversial parenting moves of all time with Lavar Ball, making LaMelo the youngest USborn player to ever play professional basketball uh overseas. Welcome. This is Melo. Deep shot does it [Music] Melo. So we have Oh, Melo with the seal. It was such a a unique moment. Learning that LaMelo was leaving high school and that they were going to go play pro that it ended up being in Lithuania of all places was one of the more bizarre sports stories I can remember.
[Music] I think that added to the intrigue as much as anything is that LaMelo was already this hyped prospect basically and uh he was in the national rankings. he had all these offers to just kind of rip him out of the traditional high school system and say you’re going to go play pro somewhere. There’s a lot of questions about what that means for his future.
Is he going to be able to play in college? Is that even on the on the table anymore? Is he going to play pro until he’s NBA draft eligible? What does all that mean? There was a lot of question marks. kind of at that point I I just presumed well that’s probably his NBA career over, right? Who would go to Lithuania if you as a as a 14 15year-old if you’re wanting to be an NBA player for LaMelo uh it wasn’t very good.
I mean he barely played in in the Lithuanian League games. Uh, one former teammate uh described him to me earlier today as lazy and arrogant, wasn’t really uh, engaged in the whole process, played undisiplined, which we’ve seen in AU ball, but didn’t really get better, and that’s the goal over there for a 16-year-old. I mean, we haven’t seen anything like it considering how things have changed with the high school and college landscape. We’re probably not going to see anything like it ever again.
But there’s just so many question marks and concerns and everything that come into your head in that [Music] moment. This may be one of the most unique chapters in the journey of any amateur basketball player ever. Games in Lithuania were consistently sold out, broadcasted on multiple streaming outlets, and even had a popular reality TV show following the family around during the season.
Lithuania look like you got werewolves, huh? Look like a scary movie out here. Do you think you can live in cold weather like this year around? With the entire saga being followed by major sports outlets like ESPN, there was a sense that LaMelo was beginning to find himself viewed as entertainment more than a legitimate basketball prospect.
And after just one season in Lithuania, Lavar Ball made the decision that it was time to show the world that LaMelo was more than a sideshow. Lavar’s first attempt at this was to build an entire basketball league around LaMelo, creating an alternative to the NCAA called the Junior Basketball Association. [Music] [Applause] There it is. Okay, I bet you didn’t know he could do that.
While this model would actually spark some traction, providing a business model that has been loosely adapted in ventures to this day, like the G- League Ignite and Overtime Elite, it proved to be difficult for the family to operate. Top prospects didn’t elect to sign with the league as Lavar had previously intended, resulting in the league unofficially folding around 2018. Through this whole process, LaMelo had still managed to find himself ranked as a top player in his class, being unanimously named as a five-star recruit.
However, questions still remained amongst scouts about how good ball really was, citing the lack of solid competition as a reason to be cautious. I think it became kind of evident pretty early on as you started to actually watch LaMelo. just seeing him play, you could also see types of flashes and types of moments where I I started to get the realization that he had, I think, a legitimate future in basketball if he could kind of stay on the right path, if Lavar would almost allow him to stay on the right path. And if that was the case, then I thought there was something there for him in the NBA.
In November of 2018, it was announced that LaMelo would return to traditional basketball, joining top prep school Spire Academy for his fourth and final year of high school basketball. [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I remember when the news broke that he was going to Spire, almost being this sense of almost relief that he was going to something normal because like I said, I thought he could be a legitimate NBA prospect.
The longer he was spending time playing in whatever he was playing in with the JBA and these small little venues, the more I worried about that derailing his future and his his potential. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I think you saw once he got to Spire that like this is a legitimate player. Like he’s now playing in actual games, playing with kids his age, playing against kids his age.
You can start to stack up that, hey, this is someone that is legitimately really good. Uh once he goes to Spire, it didn’t feel like they were kind of stalling things out anymore. where it felt like he was on the path to being in the NBA once again. Now joining the jump ball, welcome to the show. All right, I want to get right to it.
You came on here because you said you had an announcement to make about where you want to play next year. What are you doing? Uh next year take my talents to the NBA to play for the Hawks. You know, I just think it’s the best route for me. I’m trying to be the number one pick for the 2020 draft. So, well, first thing I thought was kangaroos when I heard of Australia.
And then I thought of some players like Patty Mills, Ben Simmons, and [Music] stuff. Soon as he landed, you just saw streams of people running um trying to chase him down just for a photo. You see that the with the Beatles back in the old days. That was the first sort of time that I seen and understood the presence that he has. I think everyone knows he’s talented.
Uh, but is he coachable? Is he manageable? Is he someone that you can trust and rely on? I think there’s a lot of question marks that need to be answered. Is he serious about the game? Is he into social media first and basketball second? Time will tell. The best thing that LaMelo and the Ball family did was sending him to Ilawara because now you’re for one, it got him away from Lavar, which I think helped.
It forced him to kind of be independent a little bit. It gave him some of what that college experience would be for most people. It gave him a chance to play for a legitimate team with legitimate professionals who were competing each and every night trying to win basketball games. LaMelo hesitation step wraps it under ball driving. I think he’s done a really good job of tidying up their defense.
LaMelo LaMelo has a sense of the game that is uh it’s savantlike. It’s a ball. He picks it up. Look away. Boot left hand and good. It’s like the great uh musicians, you know, the great artists. He can pass the ball as well as any young player you will ever see. Let’s see the gifts on the court and let’s see whether he can live up to what the hype has been.
when he went there, I think there were a lot of questions about whether he would be drafted or not. But when he’s doing it in the NBL against other professional players, then it means something. He went from 5’11 when I was playing with him to about 67. Starting to go to the Hawks way. He hits the ball. Now we’re looking at an anomaly here.
A 6’7 incredible passing point guard. Point guards in the United States in the NBA are not six foot seven. Ball two looked him in the eye. Steps in. Gave it up. Rolling. Him going over there and having his own team. I think that’s what helped him, bro. LaMelo has a Magic Johnson like gift for passing the ball with that kind of incredible creativity. That’s when the buzz starts among NBA scouts.
LaMelo’s stint in the NBA would prove to be invaluable. In just 12 games, he had put together an impressive season, becoming the youngest player in league history to record a triple double and averaging over 17 points per game, enough to be named the NBL’s rookie of the year.
Prior to this season, experts had speculated Ball to be a late second round pick, maybe even undrafted. But now, LaMelo would leave the NBL to declare for the 2020 NBA draft. And he would do so projected by many to be the number one overall pick. [Music] The 2020 draft was the longest draft cycle in NBA history because of co players weren’t able to work out as much properly with teams and and obviously LaMelo had been playing before the season got shut down over in Australia but got injured quite early.
So a lot of teams didn’t get out to see him like they maybe thought that they would because he ended up getting shut down on draft night itself. It wasn’t a done thing that LaMelibore was going to go to Charlotte. There was a little bit of a question mark who would be going number one.
Now, the night before we had a better idea that Anthony Edwards was going to go number one, uh the shooting guard out of Georgia to to Minnesota, but throughout that process, it really was a tossup. Like you had your top three and Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, but it took a long time to get clarity of like what is that order going to look like? With the third pick in the 2020 NBA draft, the Charlotte Hornets select, LaMelo Ball from Chino Hills, California.
LaMelo Ball goes third overall for [Applause] Charlotte, year or so. I mean, things are going to happen fast. You’re going to be in training camp a couple weeks. How ready are you? You chanting to do this thing? Oh, yeah. I mean, definitely ready.
I mean, we haven’t played basketball in a minute with the times we’ve been in. So, yeah, definitely ready to get on the court. While in most years rookies have a couple months, including development games courtesy of the NBA Summer League, 2020 was completely different. A quick turnaround following the completion of the NBA’s bubble season in Orlando meant that teams had to begin training camp by December 1st, a mere 2 weeks following the draft.
LaMelo had found himself thrown straight into the action in Charlotte, being tasked with building chemistry with teammates and learning the offense of an NBA franchise in less than a month. Regardless, it didn’t take long for his feel for the game and skill set to start to impress the Hornets coaches. LaMelo was a joy out there today. I mean, he’s he’s a sponge.
He wants to get better. He’s got a high basketball IQ. Uh he’s going to pick up this system fairly quickly. Following a short two-week preseason where LaMelo had looked comfortable and showcased the abilities that earned him a top selection in the draft, the regular season was right around the corner and it was time to see exactly what Melo was made of.
After a crash course on playing at basketball’s highest level, LaMelo Ball made his NBA debut on December 23rd, 2020. He struggled in the opening contest, failing to score a point and racking up three turnovers to go with three assists in limited minutes. Many questions were raised by fans and media alike, wondering why the Charlotte coaching staff had elected to play ball in such a conservative role, especially considering the fact that he had shown flashes of his potential during the brief preeason.
After only averaging 17 minutes in his first three NBA games, only winning one, it was obvious he struggled to find a rhythm due to being pulled in and out of lineups. Leadership in Charlotte decided that a change needed to be made. The last game of 2020 would see Melo play almost 30 minutes, pouring in 22 points on 70% shooting and adding eight boards and five assists.
However, it wasn’t the numbers that made the performance noteworthy. During the contest, Ball showed a confidence that had been lacking to begin the season, looking for a shot and knocking down four threes, more than he had made the first three games combined. In the 19 blowout win, the team was noticeably more fluid.
Everyone watching, including the coaching staff, could see that the Hornets were a different team with him running the show, and the change was made to increase Ball’s minutes off the bench. Through his first 20 games, LaMelo would average 12 points, six assists, and six rebounds, but more importantly had completely changed the identity of the young Charlotte Hornets in the process.
The greatest example of this came on January 9th where Melo compiled a statline of 22 points, 11 assists, and 12 rebounds, becoming the youngest player to ever record a triple double in an NBA game, a record his brother Lonzo had set just three years prior. All right, LaMelo standing by right now. Hey, LaMelo, congratulations. This is Eric and Dell up in the booth. Fantastic work.
I’m sure you know, but your first NBA triple double. How does it feel? Uh, I mean, it feel great. We got the win. So, yeah, I’m feeling great right now. Just continuously gets better and he’s a special player. Um, he’s not phased by the moment. It’s like he’s been doing this for a number of years already. And, uh, he was special tonight.
play, you know, playmaking, shot making on the boards, made the right decisions. He’s a special player. Bringing his signature transition running gun style all the way from his high school days at Chino Hills, Ball dazzled audiences with fullcourt outlet passes, creative fast break dimes, and highlight worthy buckets. Running the floor with one of the games most athletic wings, Miles Bridges.
They began to gain the reputation as one of the most exciting duos in the entire league. Lobs and smooth dishes from Ball to Bridges became a nightly appearance, bringing a buzz to the Spectrum Center that had been lacking in recent years. Despite still coming off the bench and having some inconsistent showings, Melo was drawing eyes to the franchise thanks to his massive social media following and was quickly becoming one of the most talked about players in the entire league.
LaMelo’s court vision and passing ability I don’t think is something he has and he shoots better an extra part of his brain somewhere and we and he shoots better than we thought he could. And you watch and listen% as a rookie. Do you see guys literally grabbing a rebound? Everyone is looking for LaMelo. What that reminds you of the great point guards magic and people like that. They’re looking.
They They’re grabbing the ball. Where’s Melo? Where’s LaMelo? Where’s LaMelo? They want him to lead the break because he’s such a beautiful passer. They know he’s going to get everybody involved. He’s leading this team. He’s special. This kid is gifted beyond gifted. He He He’s doing it effortlessly with a smile on his face like he’s almost toying with the game. Don’t hold him back.
Give him the keys to the fence. He’s ready. He’s a game changer. He’s ready for the bright lights and he will be a future superstar. Come on, coach. Give him the keys. On February 1st, the Hornets would announce that LaMelo had been named the starting point guard, officially handing the keys of the offense and the franchise over to the rookie.
Ball would have increased success after earning the starting spot, playing freely and putting up some of the best numbers among rookies. During a Saturday night matchup against the Utah Jazz, Melo poured in a season high 34 points and dropped eight assists against one of the top teams in the Western Conference, showcasing an aggressive scoring mindset that was a welcoming sign for the Hornets.
Just two games later, he hit a season high seven threes to go with 10 dimes in a 25point win over the Rockets, continuing to grow his confidence not only from beyond the ark, but also in his own ability to leave his imprint on games. By the All-Star break, LaMelo was the only player over the past 60 years to lead all rookies in total points, assists, rebounds, and steals, and his performances were drawing even more eyes to Charlotte.
Over the course of the early part of the season, LaMelo had become must-see TV, producing highlight plays that would be circulating all over social media within minutes. Fans all over the league were taking notice of this play and it seemed like ball was a lot to win rookie of the year.
But just as LaMelo had started making strides as a pro, an unforeseen circumstance would derail his entire season. Down 17. And again, wonderful anticipation by LaMelo and LaMelo a hard dribble hits the deck and he’ll have free throws. You saw the Melo trying to stretch out his right wrist. First free throw is short. Second one was perfect and he’s still holding that right wrist. So there’s one injury to another.
You go from an MVP candidate to a rookie of the year candidate. You reported that LaMelo Ball could miss the season with a wrist injury. What else can you tell us right now about that situation? Yeah, it’s really uh it’s really unfortunate. LaMelo Ball had been um spectacular in this rookie season. I mean, he made the horn. It’s a team you wanted to watch every night.
Uh, he’s coming to New York, I’m told, early this week, today, tomorrow, uh, to meet with one of the top hand specialist, Michelle Carlson. Uh, but but very likely, the expectation is he done for this season. Ball’s wrist fracture was a major roadblock in the progress he had made early in the year.
After initial reports came out that the injury would require LaMelo to miss the rest of the season, questions were raised as to what it meant for the rest of the Hornet season. However, after undergoing a successful surgery and going through intense rehab, Ball would make a quicker than anticipated recovery, only missing 21 games throughout the entire healing process.
Even in his absence, the Hornets had continued to embrace the highlight field play style that they had become known for, staying afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race. LaMelo would not only be able to resume his chase for Rookie of the Year, but also contribute to Charlotte’s race for the playoffs with only 10 games remaining.
On May 1st, 2020, LaMelo would make his return from what was thought to be a season ending injury, reclaiming his place in the starting lineup. While shaking off any signs of rust or fatigue, Ball was able to immediately pick up where he left off. And it was obvious that the Hornets were more than happy to see him back. LaMelo, what a pass by. Welcome back, LaMelo. LaMelo. Bingo. LaMelo’s got the head up. Who does he want? He wants. Yes.
Charlotte would win three of their next five games with Melo back at the helm. But the team’s youth proved to be an obstacle over the final stretch. The Hornets would end the season on a fivegame losing streak. four of those being by single digits, including a battle with LaMelo’s big brother, Lonzo, and the Pelicans.
This downward spiral to end the year meant Charlotte would have to compete against Indiana in the first round of the newly established playin tournament. The Pacers proved to be too much for the inexperienced Hornets, resulting in a 27point loss in the national televised game. Shooting just four for 14 with four turnovers, LaMelo would struggle in the final matchup of the year, ending a historic rookie season on a humbling note and giving motivation heading into the off season.
After an impressive first season in the NBA, one that was filled with big plays and crowd-raising moments. On June 16th, 2021, the league announced LaMelo had earned the highest honor any rookie could ask for. Yo, this is Miles Bridges. My boy Melo just won rookie of the year, but he don’t know it yet. Watch this. Nice, ain’t it? They ain’t want to let me take man home.
You not even looking, gang. Oh, yeah. Year, bro. Congrats, bro. You already know, bro. Heavy. Well done by Miles Bridges. And there is your 19-year-old Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, LaMelo Ball. Congratulations. Thank you. Although at one point in the season, it had seemed like Ball had lost his spot as the front runner, becoming the NBA’s rookie of the year meant Melo was in some elite company, as many of the game’s top former and current players have taken home that honor.
As the first player from Charlotte to win the award in over 16 years, LaMelo averaged 15.7 points, six assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. With his scoring average jumping to 18 points per game as a starter, he had addressed many of the initial concerns the teams had for him entering the draft, shooting an above average 35% from three and being able to create for teammates at an elite level despite facing NBA defenders.
He now turns his attention to a new focus, improving his game even further and helping lead the Hornets next season to their first playoff birth since 2016. LaMelo Ball’s 2021 rookie campaign was one of the most exciting aspects of the entire regular season, embodying everything that makes the game enjoyable in a way that we haven’t seen since the likes of a young Jason Williams running the floor in Sacramento.
Melo completely captured the attention and imagination of fans all across the globe, keeping everyone tuned in on the edge of their seat. Like watching an artist at work, LaMelo used his creativity to orchestrate plays that had never been seen before. In his first year, he was able to completely change the direction of a franchise.
Thanks to both his oncourt play style and off-court popularity, many within Charlotte’s organization saw their careers thrust into the national spotlight. From the previously underappreciated Miles Bridges to even the play-by-play announcer, all thanks to the increased attention drawn by Ball. Now, after a rookie season filled with ups and downs, the next step for the young star was to truly establish himself in the NBA.
There was a bit of a learning curve there as probably was to be expected in that even as much as the NBL was kind of a real basketball league, there’s a jump from the NBL to the NBA and you’re also still I mean LaMelo at that point had only been playing legitimate basketball for 2 years maybe between Spire and the MBL.
So, I think there was a bit of a learning curve there that he had to get used to a little bit. The flashes were still there. Um, the moments were still there. It might have been a little bit of a slower start, but eventually it was pretty clear that he’s going to be someone in the NBA. Back at it again with the Rear Adventures, Melo, they try to give me the camera.
Year two would see LaMelo Ball take another major leap in his development, further cementing himself as the centerpiece in Charlotte. LaMelo behind behind the back. That is the wizardry of his passing. Watching LaMelo Ball play is a lot like those moments in life where you’re seeing something happen in real time or something around you is happening and there’s that chemical reaction in your brain that automatically sparks like a joy. Nice dime to the races. What do you got? Yes.
Very similar to how some people watch Stephen Curry play because you never know what’s going to happen. Lamela Ball has always been exciting, electric to watch, full of flare and personality in his game. He he jumps off the screen when you watch him, right? His offensive vision and passing IQ is just top 0.1% in the NBA, if not like NBA history.
There there are holes in his game, but he makes things happen that not many people in the world have ever been able to do. Oh, beautiful play. Lamelo finds the rim. beautiful pass. He would raise his scoring average up to 20 points per game while also ranking in the top 10 in assists and would find himself being named to his first career NBA All-Star team. Eric Collins, the play-by-play announcer for the Charlotte Hornets, said that LaMelo makes his job incredibly difficult in a good way.
Because as a play-by-play announcer, you’re always supposed to have a feel for what’s going to happen next. And with LaMelo, you never know what’s going to happen next. Lead by nine. Super important [Applause] game. That’s how you do it. A lot of times people refer to the point guard as the acceleration pedal of the offense. And I don’t know if there’s a truer statement for LaMelo. Ball’s success wouldn’t come without its share of setbacks.
During the 2023 season, LaMelo was on the verge of yet another rise in production, becoming the second youngest player behind only LeBron James to reach 1,000 points, assists, and rebounds. However, an ankle injury suffered in February of that year would result in a seasonending surgery for the young star.
This would begin a trend of multiple injuries over the course of the next two seasons, all of which resulted in LaMelo playing just 58 games over the span. I mean, the way he’s injured some of his ankles are pretty unique. He stepped on the foot of a fan one time. Then there was another time he was backpedaling on defense after hitting a three and stepped on someone else’s ankle. Um, he’s then broke his ankle when there was just no no contact.
He just took a step with no one else around him and he also broke his wrist when he fell on the floor and it didn’t look particularly like, you know, he he landed with any force. So, his injuries are kind of freak.
Injuries are always frustrating for for any player and especially a young player and especially someone like LaMelo who was showing so much promise and potential and was kind of coming off an all-star season and it felt like every time he started to get things going, there would be an injury that would stop him once again.
And that’s one of the most frustrating parts about what he battled through for those couple of seasons is that every time he was healthy, he looked really good and he still looked like that allstar, but it was whether he could stay healthy or not. Oh, LaMelo limped to the bench. How it shaped him, we honestly don’t really know. He doesn’t speak on the record about these things.
And when you ask him about his injuries, the answer is come in, get rehab, do the work, go home. And it’s really hard to get any level of insight into how affected or unaffected he has been. I think the impression he wants to give off is that like everything’s fine. It’s just I’ll do the rehab and I’ll be back to normal. I expect there’s probably more underneath the surface there. For LaMelo, it’s going to be what’s between the ears.
If you’ve ever heard LaMelo talk about basketball, you know he loves basketball. It’s his passion. It’s what he loves. So, I’m not concerned about that. But it is going to be up to LaMelo to kind of take control of the injuries in his career. Is this going to be a Stephen Curry story where after battling injuries all these years, he’s able to make that leap and still deal with injuries and Steph certainly has in his career, but be able to overcome that and still become a great player.
Or is it going to be a case where, you know, it’s more of like a Brandon Roy story or a Penny Hardaway story might even be a better example of a guy who had more longevity in the league, but it just was just never hit that potential. I have full confidence that with the surgery, with the training staff that he has, that he’s healthy and he’s going to find a way to be healthy.
But it’s going to be up to LaMelo to persevere and continue forward in controlling the trajectory of his career. Despite these setbacks, the Hornets would still commit to LaMelo, signing him to a contract extension that secured his role as the franchise’s cornerstone moving forward. Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was hoping for a contract extension.
How does $260 million over 5 years sound? Fully healthy entering the 20242 season. Expectations were high and it was clear that Ball wanted to make a statement. As the season got underway, that’s exactly what he would do, proving that he is ready to be in the conversation with some of the games top point guards. Watching Lamelo Ball is like watching a jazz musician.
He improvises effortless, unpredictable, sometimes completely absurd, both for good and bad [Music] reasons. LML stops on a dive. Step back three. Got in front of [Music] him. At least he did for a moment. Ball past him. and scores. His passes aren’t your typical assist you see thrown. They’re sculpted like shaped in midair, freaky angles. Lo wins it tonight.
And only he seems to, you know, be able to deliver those right on time. There’s an undeniable looseness to his game. A a a controlled chaos of sort. Every possession feel like it could be a masterpiece, a disaster. And that’s the beauty of it. It really is a roller coaster. Ball, how do you do? I think it’s his basketball instinct which is built on creativity and confidence.
And he has just enough recklessness to keep the defenses on edge. And every game with LaMelo Ball feels like a bit of an invitation to watch the unexpected. I think there’s always kind of a point for young players who battle injury that you also have to eventually prove it again. And I think that’s what he did at the start of uh this season, the start of the 2024 season, is that he started to really show that he could be the number one guy again for a Hornets team that was asking him to do an awful lot.
The ball was in his hands a whole lot. LaMelo’s usage is extremely high. I think at one point this year it was like the highest since one of James Harden’s years. And we know how those James Harden MVP caliber seasons were. Lamela Ball had a top 10 usage all time this season. They were asking him to do incredible amounts of of the modern era of the NBA and that’s been really difficult for him.
But he’s able to put up these numbers while kind of maintaining the same efficiency while they have to do a lot for this Hornets team. Here comes LaMelo. He’s got [Applause] miles. Oh my goodness. Whether it was 30 point nights, whether it was, you know, 10, 12 assist nights, whatever it might be, kind of remind everyone that he was still this good basically and that he could put the injuries behind him for a stretch and not just be the guy who he was, be better than he was, and and show that there was another level
he could take his game to. In what has been his greatest leap yet, LaMelo put the entire NBA on notice early on in the 2025 season. Yes, the traffic wonderful basketball by number one. [Music] At one point, Ball led the entire NBA in scoring and even received the most fan votes of any player during All-Star voting.
However, as has been the case his entire career thus far, his team still struggles to win games. A responsibility that as the centerpiece falls directly on LaMelo’s shoulders, I think there’s a couple of key development areas for LaMelo Ball, both on and off the court. I think off the court it’s about having a more mature approach, being probably a little bit more serious minded, standing up to that leadership role if it’s within him, holding teammates accountable, being a leader on the team.
You you you very rarely hear about Laamel Ball being a leader brought up by his teammates. Yeah. You know, we just listening to coach pretty much, you know, what he said. We all listened and then just went out there and executed it. [Music] Miles Bridges has tried to say that he, you know, he’s encouraging him and trying to get him to find his voice cuz I think Miles Bridges knows for us to get where we want to go, we need our best player to be the guy leading us out there.
I think he would best be suited as a kind of a number two on a really good team like the Kyrie to Lebron Tony Parker to Duncan, Nash to Stomire, Chris Paul to Blake Griffin. I I think he needs a co-star for him to run alongside because one of the personality thing he needs an alpha who can lead it and two just cuz I think the best version of LaMelo Ball is the the early career lamelo Ball in my opinion when we saw him as a distributor and scorer but that’s something that again I think can
improve because he has all the all the tools I think for LaMelo to take that next step and maybe make that leap into allstar and potentially all NBA year in and year out. It’s a handinhand relationship with the Charlotte Blues, right? LaMelo needs to improve on a handful of things, right? Efficiency for all those analytic lovers out there, the efficiency hasn’t been there.
The usage rate, that’s not built for sustainable success for any player. The Hornets need to surround him with talent. I think in 5 years time if LaMelo Ball can stay on the court, he is a runway to probably be an allstar caliber player on a regular year-by-year basis. But he’s got to stay on the court and he’s got to be able to to show it in competitive environments in playoff environments.
As we look ahead to LaMelo Ball’s career, there are plenty more questions than answers. The young star has shown flashes on par with some of the NBA’s best. Possessing an ability on the court that not only draws eyes to the product, but commands the attention of every player on the floor. With a court vision that rivals that of alltime great point guards, ball can control a game in a way that highlights the purest form of basketball.
incredible passes that keep you on the edge of your seat and highlight worthy buckets that complement his court vision. That’s what superstars do. But in a situation that is asking him to be much more than his natural position, as well as making him the center of attention that no one knows if he ever truly wanted to be.
Just how far can LaMelo carry a franchise alone? Lamela Ball is at a key juncture in his career where he can go down one of two routes. He can be the the good stats, bad team, you know, he has great highlights, but you’re never actually going to win anything with him on your team type player or he could be the next Deon Bucker, right? Who who has levied a lot of the same criticisms but was able to shake that and now everyone applauds Deon Bucker.
Before that to happen, Devin Bucker needed the likes of Chris Ball to come to Phoenix. He needed the likes of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal for him to kind of step up into that role with other people to allow him to have success. So, this isn’t all on the Melo Ball, but he is quickly developing a reputation for being a a shot chucker, uh a wild player who is playing AA style basketball. And I think a lot of that is inaccurate.
But unless you’re on national TV, unless you’re playing and winning teams, you’re never going to shake it. LaMelo’s journey is truly one of one. He is loved, absolutely loved, um, by the younger generation. He’s continuing to show you that, hey, I have everything. I have a foundation of being a true NBA superstar.
This is a this is a player that is a game changer, a franchise changer, and with a little stroke of luck is a guy that could get Charlotte back to the playoffs. I think all the tools are there for him. He needs a little bit of help from the Hornets. He needs a little bit of help from himself.
But mark my words, LaMelo Ball will be an MVP conversation for years to come if he can stay healthy and if the Charlotte Hornets can put a decent group around him. LaMelo was under just the most immense pressure from the moment anyone found out about him. [Applause] He was just under this bright spotlight. And there are so many stories of high school prodigies who never made it.
And it wouldn’t have been a surprise if LaMelo kind of went down that path just with the spotlight, the pressure that was on him as a 13, 14, 15year-old. [Music] For him to not only navigate that pressure, but the path he took is obviously unlike anyone we’ve seen from high school to Europe to back to America to Australia and back to America again.
to see him navigate that successfully and end up in the NBA as one of the best players, best young players in the league. I think it’s amazing. Who pushes you the most? Uh, no one in practice can guard me, so it’s really nothing. We can put the camera on him, too. Just put the camera on him. That man right there, that’s the man who can’t guard me. Turn it left. I’ll take his ankles every day. Go one more. See the boy in the hoodie? He hid it for a reason.
They all done it now. LaMelo Ball is a player who has been thrust into the spotlight from the moment he was introduced to us as a loud, confident 14-year-old kid by default, both due to his status as a homegrown celebrity and standout basketball player.
He has always been looked at as the center of attention. But at the core of who he is, who knows if LaMelo has truly ever cared for any of these labels. He’s a kid from Chino Hills who grew up playing the game he loves with his brothers. And now he’s a star in Charlotte with the future of a franchise in the palm of his hands. Everyone has an opinion on what LaMelo should or shouldn’t do.
Every move he’s made for the past decade has been dissected and analyzed. At the end of the day, only Ball can decide what type of player he’s going to become. But outside of all of the noise and analytics, one thing never changes. Sometimes even a prodigy who has been raised to become a basketball savior just wants to hoop. Yes. Let me see you jump high with one hand.
There you go. Two hand [ __ ] behind the head. This. Yes. Hard. [Music] [Music]
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