LaMelo Ball's arrival in the NBA made headlines following the Charlotte Hornets' decision to make the guard their top pick in the draft last year. Michael Jordan saw a promise in the young guard and so far Ball is telling the world that Jordan made the right move.
The Hornets are winning games and Ball is a notable factor of that success. During his last game, the league freshman fired off 22 points and dished out 11 assists. Ball put an icing on the stellar performance by hauling down 12 rebounds.
At 19 years old, Ball made history as he became the youngest player in the NBA to register a triple-double during a game. But most importantly, it was a winning cause as the Hornets turned back the Atlanta Hawks. And it's clear as daylight that the NBA watchers are impressed.
One of Ball's new admirers is Stephen A. Smith and the ESPN analyst predicted that the NBA newbie is on the rise, according to Fadeaway World.
"[LaMelo Ball] looks REAL. As in real special. Loves playing. He's assertive. Aggressive. Look out. He's finishing games already. He'll probably be starting in a week," Smith was reported as saying in a Twitter post.
Smith's assessment was spot on, the report said, adding that Ball displayed confidence and aggressiveness, and that his presence on the court will accomplish things with Charlotte. The prediction that Ball could soon join the starting five is not a remote possibility.
Perhaps in the next few days, Hornets head coach James Borrego will see the wisdom of integrating his rising young star to the first team if only to develop better harmony within the squad. If Ball can stay healthy and impressive throughout the season, great things likely await him - becoming the top NBA rookie, winning an All-Star slot, and possibly playing in the playoffs.
The statistics showed that Ball is adjusting fast in the league. He has appeared in a total of eight games for Charlotte and his contribution is nothing short of impressive. Ball is averaging 12.8 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists with a shooting accuracy of 43.5%.
Unsurprisingly, Ball doing quite well did not escape the notice of his father, LaVar, and the old man is loudly calling on Borrego to elevate his son to the starting crew, according to Yahoo Sports. With the way the guard is playing, it seemed that the Hornets coach needs little convincing given that starter Devonte Graham is not in the best of form.
But truth be told, Ball on the Hornets starting five is but a formality. It's quite clear that the rookie is essentially integral to his team's rotation and analysts said Ball can thank his excellent showing for winning Borrego's confidence.
