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LaMelo Ball, the youngest of the Ball Brothers, took the league by storm following his selection as the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Although he came off the bench for the Charlotte Hornets in his first twenty games, he became a regular starter after several impressive displays as a rotation player.
LaMelo Ball is an exciting prospect that the Hornets could build a team around. The acquisition of Gordan Hayward in the 2020 offseason was a boost for the franchise. With a few more tweaks to their roster, they could put together a formidable team that can compete for championships.
Several rookies have struggled to get going in their premier season, but not LaMelo Ball. The 6"6 point guard was familiar with competitive play as he opted to play in for the Illarawa Hawks in Australia instead of attending college. He was able to get into the NBA Draft following his one-year post-high school stint in the NBL.
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As with every player, there are low points throughout the course of a season. However, LaMelo Ball's rookie season was filled with highlight reels.
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The youngster was rewarded with the NBA Rookie of the Year award for his sensational performances. He finished the 2020-21 NBA season, averaging 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds. 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 51 games.
To celebrate with LaMelo Ball, who turned 20 today, we will memorialize the top five performances of his rookie year.
#5 Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks
Date: January 30, 2021
The Charlotte Hornets pulled off a surprisingly comfortable victory against the Milwaukee Bucks, and LaMelo Ball was at the center of it. Pulling off such a victory against a heavyweight in the East marked the end of Ball's status as a rotation player.
Despite coming off the bench, he was undoubtedly the best player for the Hornets. Although he was tied for the most points with Hayward (27), he added nine assists, five rebounds, and three steals. LaMelo Ball shot eight of 10 from the field and was perfect from the charity stripe in nine attempts.
#4 Charlotte Hornets vs Houston Rockets
Date: February 8, 2021
Lamelo Ball's 24 points was one shy of the point differential with which the Hornets won the game against the Houston Rockets. Although it was a subpar shooting performance from the field, he knocked down an impressive seven of 12 shots from three-point range.
In the blowout win, LaMelo Ball flirted with a triple-double with his 24 points, ten rebounds, and seven rebounds. With that performance, he set the franchise record for 3-pointers by a rookie.
Also Read: Who are the Ball Brothers?
#3 Charlotte Hornets vs Portland Trail Blazers
Date: March 1, 2021
LaMelo Ball did all he could to help the Charlotte Hornets win on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers but fell short. The Blazers repelled the rookie's effort with Carmelo Anthony leading the charge.
It was an all-round impressive display from LaMelo Ball on both ends of the court. He shot an impressive 10 of 18 from the field and 5-of-7 from downtown. He was also two assists away from tallying a 30-point double-double.
Although it was a devastating loss for the Hornets, LaMelo Ball gained the respect of elite scorers in the league. Anthony sought out Ball after the game to swap jerseys.
At the end of the game, LaMelo Ball tallied 3o points, six rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and a block.
#2 Charlotte Hornets vs Utah Jazz
Date: February 5, 2021
The Charlotte Hornets squared off against the Utah Jazz at Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Although the Hornets lost the game 121-138, LaMelo Ball put on a show in front of the home fans, registering a career-high 34 points in 39 minutes while shooting an effective 14 of 27 from the field.
The Utah Jazz were two points behind in the first quarter but turned things around before intermission. LaMelo Ball tried to pull off an inspiring comeback, contributing to all but one of the Hornets' fourth-quarter field goals. Although the game ended in favor of the Jazz, LaMelo Ball added eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block.
#1 Charlotte Hornets vs Atlanta Hawks
Date: January 9, 2021
LaMelo Ball recorded the first and only triple-double of his NBA career after only ten games. He came off the bench against the Atlanta Hawks and rallied the team to a 113-105 victory, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
Despite a slow start, Ball started to grow into the game and built on his lone field goal of the first quarter. He finished the game with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. His efficiency is also commendable as he shot nine of 13 from the field and finished with a Plus/Minus of +18.
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