The Charlotte Hornets have two young stars to build around.
In every rebuild, finding a building block or two as franchise players is essential. It’s the beginning step in the pursuit of an NBA Championship victory. The Charlotte Hornets might just have two players to build around. The duo of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller has some incredible potential.
While Miller is headed into his second season in the league with plenty to prove, Ball might be a budding superstar with early returns in the 2024-25 NBA season. He’s showing how impactful he is to his team when he’s healthy.
Through three games, Ball is averaging the third-most points per contest in the NBA at 31.7 points per game. Of course, a three-game sample size is small, but Ball’s impact is real.
For many years, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has been deemed the league’s best guard. He’s certainly one of the most joyful to watch as he plays an incredible style of the game. Who would be behind him in terms of the best guards to watch in the NBA?
In an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show” with Draymond Green, two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis revealed his answer.
“This is the only point guard, outside of Steph Curry, that it’s like, ‘I have to tap in,’” Davis said. “That is my spirit player, the player I would want to be like if I was in the league. LaMelo Ball. I think LaMelo, another All-Star year, I want him to stay healthy.”
When healthy, Ball is one of the most electric talents in the league. In his second season, he played 75 games. Since then, he hasn’t surpassed 36 appearances in a season. Heading into year five, remaining healthy will be the only thing keeping Ball from being a superstar.
“It’s just beautiful basketball when he plays,” Davis continued. “Great joy.”
Ball is averaging 31.7 points per game, as he’s leveled up as a scorer. His efficiency has taken a leap while he’s also getting to the charity stripe with more volume.
The potential was sky-high for Ball — whom many have followed since he was a freshman in high school — after his second season in which he made his first All-Star appearance. Can he do so for the second time in his career?
The 2020 Rookie of the Year plays an electric style that allows him to create incredible looks for himself and others. If he can keep his efficiency and volume both at an improved rate while helping the Hornets win more games, there’s no reason he won’t be an All-Star again.
On top of his incredible scoring ability, Ball is adding 7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game for Charlotte as he would be in the MVP conversation with his current numbers on a championship-level team. Of course, playing for the Hornets is doing him no favors as the team is still working through their rebuild.
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