Can LaMelo Ball Be A Legit Rookie Of The Year Candidate?

After being discussed as possibly being drafted No. 1 overall, LaMelo Ball was passed up by the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors, allowing the Hornets to draft him at 3rd overall. He enters the NBA as an elite level passer and great ball-handling skills that will make him one of the premier assist-men in the entire league.

LaMelo Ball, the younger brother of Pelicans’ point guard Lonzo Ball, has had quite the journey to the NBA and is not your typical high school to college to NBA prospect.

After originally committed to play at UCLA, Ball was deemed ineligible by the NCAA due to his family profiting off of his likeness with their “Big Baller Brand” and as a result, LaMelo went to Lithuania and played for pro team Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League. He played in 8 games in Lithuania and then decided to sign with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League in Australia.

After his wild, crazy journey, LaMelo Ball now finds himself in the NBA on the Charlotte Hornets with big expectations placed on him. A lot of NBA executives thought Ball was the best and most polished NBA prospect entering the draft and should be one of the best players on the Hornets at the start of the season.

While he has shown the ability to be a solid perimeter shooter and great in pick-and-roll situations, the best attributes of LaMelo Ball’s playstyle is that he can basically do whatever he is needed to do on the court.

Whether it is racking up assists, rebounds, pushing the ball in transition, being the primary ball-handler in pick-and-roll sets, LaMelo Ball can do it all, which is why he will be one of the best rookies in the NBA this season. 

Charlotte will be in the playoff hunt this season in large part due to the contributions LaMelo Ball will bring to this organization, which is why he will be one of the favorites to win the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year award.