"I'm an All-Star every year" - LaMelo Ball makes feelings known on leading All-Star guard votes for 2025

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is in the midst of a career year and as such, has been rewarded by receiving a plethora of All-Star votes. In fact, the fifth-year guard is the leading vote-getter among all backcourt players in the Eastern Conference as per the latest returns of the fan voting on Friday.

According to the results released by the NBA on Friday, Ball has already garnered 1,908,967 votes. Following the Hornets' 110-105 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, Ball joined the "NBA GameTime" hosts to talk about the All-Star voting results.

The Hornets guard was not short in confidence as he made his feelings known about being an All-Star.

"Just me being me, I feel like I'm an All-Star every year," Ball said when asked about being part of this year's All-Star roster. "I just got to play the amount of games or whatever, just go out there and hoop. Every year I feel I'm talented enough to be up there."

LaMelo Ball has struggled with injuries in each of the last two seasons. In 2022-23, he only played in 36 games. Then in 2023-24, he only suited up for 22. His availability has prevented him from being considered for awards, including participating in the annual All-Star game.

This season, he has already suited up in 27 of the 39 games his team has played. His availability has allowed fans to see more of what he's capable of and they have rewarded him with a shower of All-Star votes.

The 1,908,967 votes that Ball has as per the most recent returns leads the next player on the list of Eastern Conference guards by 354,763 votes. That player is Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, who had 1,554,204 votes as of Friday.

Meanwhile, the leading vote-getter among all players is Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who received 3,489,956. Overall, the top vote-getter among all guards, including the Western Conference, is OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 2,405,404.

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LaMelo Ball has been an All-Star only one other time in his career so far

LaMelo Ball is only in the fifth year of his young, promising career. In the past four seasons, he has already dealt with injuries that have kept him from showing his full potential.

However, when he is available, he shows why he was taken third overall in the 2020 NBA draft. The most that Ball has played in a season was in 2021-22, his sophomore year. He suited up for 75 games for the Charlotte Hornets that year, starting in every single one.

He averaged 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game that year. His performance was rewarded with an All-Star selection.

In the next two seasons, Ball improved his performance, averaging over 23 points and eight dimes both times. Despite having better numbers, he was not named to either the 2023 and 2024 All-Star teams on account of his injuries.

This season, LaMelo Ball is averaging a career-best 29.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 7.5 apg and 1.4 spg. Numbers that place him in the upper echelon of NBA point guards.