"He's the wave" - Former NBA champion predicts LaMelo Ball's All-Star spot after Hornets guard's scoring surge
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball earned another fan in former NBA champion Kevin Garnett. On Thursday's "Ticket & Truth" episode, Garnett praised Ball's performance this season.
In 18 games this season, Ball is averaging a career-high 31.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists. In the last five games, he scored 40+ points twice (50 points vs. the Milwaukee Bucks and 44 points against the Orlando Magic).
Aside from his high-scoring performances, Ball has shown stunning moves on the court, which Garnett talked about. KG experimented with the Hornets guard's dribbling techniques over Magic's Goga Bitadze, which resulted in a stepback, one-legged 3-pointer.
“LaMelo got a different bag, dog,” Garnett said. “And he’s playing with a different confidence. I hope the league blesses him with an All-Star. He is a must-watch TV. I think he’s great when you put him around a bunch of other young guys.
“He’s fun to watch, he’s the wave in this direction that we going with, he’s part of that wave. I like watching him play. I like watching the young Hornets.”
Ball is already a one-time All-Star, with his sole appearance during the 2021-22 season. However, he wasn't selected by the coaches or voted in by fans. The league picked him as an injury replacement for Kevin Durant.
He has demonstrated this season that he is deserving of an All-Star selection. He could play in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, provided he remains healthy.
LaMelo Ball's dad has a cryptic message to Hornets fans during a livestream
Despite the way LaMelo Ball has played for the Hornets, it has not translated into wins for the team. Charlotte is in the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference standings and has fallen to a four-game losing streak.
During the Hornets' 99-98 loss against the New York Knicks at the Emirates NBA Cup on Friday, LaMelo's dad had a livestream on the Instagram account of the "Big Baller Brand."
"You know we need that guy," LaVar said. "Don't worry about it help is coming. Help is coming."
The X account of the Hornets' Reddit page speculated two options: either the team will trade for Lonzo Ball or LaMelo will soon return to action after missing one game.