John Hollinger makes the case that Ball’s performance as a teenage rookie puts him in rarefied air that, with rare exceptions, results in a career that produces multiple All-Star appearances at a minimum.
https://theathletic.com/2378012/2021/02/11/nba-lamelo-ball-keeping-historic-company-with-lebron-kyrie-kobe-kg/
Obviously, these numbers don’t account for LaMelo hitting the rookie wall. He’s not going to average 21/7/6 the rest of the way. But there’s something extraordinary happening in Charlotte.
I know I was rooting for the Ball family to fade from the scene, with Lonzo settling into a steady but unspectacular career as a role player and LiAngelo’s 15 minutes seemingly up, but I guess that’s not going to happen.
https://theathletic.com/2378012/2021/02/11/nba-lamelo-ball-keeping-historic-company-with-lebron-kyrie-kobe-kg/
LaMelo is averaging 21/7/6 in 8 games since being inserted in the starting lineup. The Hornets are 4-4 in those games, and LaMelo’s plus-minus is in positive territory (2.9). Advanced metrics like his defense.In the 3-point era, we’ve only had 10 teenagers play at least 500 minutes, post a PER of at least 15.0 and a BPM of at least 1.0 — a basic baseline of “Hey, this guy is pretty good.” Ball is on track to become the 11th, with advanced metrics that clear my cutoff by a mile.... Of the other 10, nine made multiple All-Star teams, and Zion Williamson will probably make it 10 at some point. Several are first-ballot Hall of Famers. And unlike Ball, three of them were in their second season (LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady).
Obviously, these numbers don’t account for LaMelo hitting the rookie wall. He’s not going to average 21/7/6 the rest of the way. But there’s something extraordinary happening in Charlotte.
I know I was rooting for the Ball family to fade from the scene, with Lonzo settling into a steady but unspectacular career as a role player and LiAngelo’s 15 minutes seemingly up, but I guess that’s not going to happen.