LaMelo Ball Makes Hornets History as He Joins Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic’s Elite Company

North Carolina boasts a rich tradition of producing quality NBA players, including legends like Chris Paul, James Worthy, and Bob McAdoo. Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest basketball player in history, also has roots in North Carolina. Despite this impressive talent pool, the state’s success in the NBA has been underwhelming. Charlotte Hornets are the sole representative of the state. The Hornets have always been on the periphery of the NBA, constantly finishing outside the playoffs spots.

However, LaMelo Ball’s superstar potential provides hope and optimism to the Hornets’ fanbase. His impressive start to the 2023-24 season has elevated him to NBA stardom and earned him a place in the history books of the Charlotte Hornets.

LaMelo Ball in elite company

The Charlotte Hornets drafted LaMelo Ball with the No.3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. LaMelo faced considerable doubt leading up to the draft, with numerous individuals anticipating him to be a potential bust. But LaMelo silenced his critics and proved that he belonged to the biggest stage. His talent and star quality became apparent from the moment he entered the NBA. In fact, his stellar performances earned him the Rookie of the Year award over Anthony Edwards.

Injuries and inconsistent performances have hampered his growth as well as Charlotte’s hopes of competing for a playoff spot. However this season, LaMelo has started the season in fine form. He has averaged 24.4 points, 8.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game. He has also recorded 100 field goals made and 100 assists this season. Only Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic have achieved that feat this season. Ball also became the first Hornets player to achieve this feat within the first 12 games of the season.

Despite his outstanding individual performances, the Hornets remain rooted to the foot of the Eastern Conference standings. They currently occupy the 13th spot, having won three games and suffering nine defeats.

What does the future hold for LaMelo and Charlotte?

LaMelo Ball signed a five-year contract worth $260 million this offseason. His contract extension means that the Hornets have control of LaMelo for the foreseeable future. This provides the Hornets’ hierarchy a decent amount of time to build a competitive roster around LaMelo.

The Hornets already possess talented young players like Mark Williams and Miles Bridges. The 2023 lottery pick for Charlotte, Brandon Miller, has shown promise. Particularly in a recent standout performance against the Knicks where he recorded a career-high 29 points. They also possess players like Gordan Hayward and Terry Rozier, who could be traded for draft capital.

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The Hornets have the tools to become a force to reckon with in the future. But it all depends on the competency of their front office to use those tools appropriately. Can the Hornets become a successful team in the future? Let us know in the comments below!

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