Talent has never eluded LaMelo Ball. The game of basketball comes naturally to the youngest Ball brother, who can walk into an arena, take a sip of water, and casually drop 30 points without breaking a sweat like he did against the Washington Wizards. 

Ball needed just 27 minutes to knock down 10 3-pointers (on 15 attempts) and score 37 points. Things were going well for him and the Charlotte Hornets, who scored 129 points thanks to the combined efforts of Ball, Kon Knueppel (28 points), and Brandon Miller (22 points). Basketball is much better when the likes of Ball are healthy and the Hornets are happy to have him operating at a high level on most nights. 

It is more likely than not that Ball will play more than 50 games this season, and it’ll be the first time he eclipses that mark since the 2021-2022 season, which was when he played in 75 regular season games. Not only was that the most games played in Ball’s career but it was also during that campaign Charlotte last went above .500. Clearly, they will go as far as he can go and health be willing, the 24-year old can still hit 70 games and build some momentum for this season. 

Injuries have largely prevented Ball from playing consistently and the Hornets have not really found much reason to remain competitive while he sits out. The losses have piled up and the revolving door of players, coaches, and front office staff have led to instability left and right. The recent additions of potential Rookie of the Year Knueppel and the also talented yet oft-injured Miller have certainly made the perennial losing much bearable. Their presence has also helped offset how Ball is having a subpar season numbers wise, because Charlotte’s balanced attack is starting to bear fruit. 

Things are starting to pick up for the Hornets, who have won seven of their last 10 games. That’s tied for the third-best record in the league during that span and it has turned what was once a season lost to the lottery into a promising campaign for Charlotte with an opportunity for more. There’s more joy in the basketball they play and the ball moves well enough that everyone gets a share of the reps.  

At 27-31, the Charlotte Hornets have a chance to make the postseason for the first time in a decade. They currently find themselves a half game behind the Atlanta Hawks for the ninth spot and a slot in the Play-In Tournament. The 4.5-game gap between them and the six-seeded Philadelphia 76ers seems a bit tougher to reach, but with LaMelo Ball leading the way, who’s to say that they can’t take the shot?