NBA

Former Chino Hills player LaMelo Ball becomes the ’emotional leader’ of the Charlotte Hornets

ballervisions 2026年1月16日

The gasps from the crowd at Crypto.com Arena — mixed with shock from Lakers fans and anticipation from fans rooting for this local hero — grew each time LaMelo Ball stepped out of seemingly more tactful spots on the court. The Charlotte Hornets star guard held three fingers to his bicep each time he sprayed a fake on net. He stared into the packed stands to meet the eyes of his home crowd.

The former Chino Hills High player led the Hornets to a 135-117 victory over the Lakers on Thursday with 30 points and 11 assists. After a quiet 3-pointer in the first half, Ball erupted for 27 points after halftime, including making eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts in the second half that gave the LA crowd a glimpse of a player fresh off a brace on Chino Hills’ storied undefeated team.

“We all know LaMelo,” Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s been playing like that since he was in high school. To us, they’re crazy shooters, but to him, that’s his shots.

Read more: The Lakers’ defensive woes also proved costly in the loss to the Hornets

Ball, now 10 years removed from a 35-0, national championship season with the Huskies, still plays with the looseness of a freshman who played with his older brothers. But the 24-year-old is starting to own the maturity of a six-year NBA veteran.

“He’s always been an explosive scorer, passing bombs, but now he knows how to win games when it comes to, what, two things, one thing,” said Hornets guard Miles Bridges, who had 25 points, including five baskets assisted by Ball. “He knows how to make the right play and win the game.”

Ball, who is averaging 20.4 points, 7.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds, has a career-high 2.8 this season. Ball’s traditional stats are modest compared to some of his early stat-making seasons when he averaged over 30 points and eight rebounds in his first two years in the NBA, but he’s playing more effectively than ever in some ways. He has an offensive rating of 120.8 and an assist percentage of 42.2%, which measures the percentage of field goals a player assists while on the court. His assist percentage trails only Denver star Nikola Jokic.

“We were always surprised by his shooting, but the thing that I think continues to impress me, the thing that continues to help our team get better is that he trusts the pass,” said Hornets coach, Charles Lee, who called Ball the emotional leader of the team. “I think he makes everybody around him grow. He makes them better. … Then he does what Melo does: He’s a shooter.”

Ball hit back-to-back three-pointers to start the third quarter. With his confidence growing, he began to quickly get up on the shot clock. He danced with Lakers center Deandre Ayton, driving into the lane on a 7-footer for a rebound and another three. Disappearing into the corner of the court and almost into the laps of his teammates on the Hornets bench, Ball hit a rainbow three-pointer over Smart’s outstretched hand.

“I was just playing,” Ball said.

Ball did not play in the Lakers’ first game against the Hornets in Charlotte, NC, due to an ankle injury. In November, the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter surge from the Hornets, which showed just how dangerous it can be. Young and athletic, with determined drivers and knock-down shooters, the Hornets could be one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the NBA. In the 15 games since Ball returned from a three-game layoff with an ankle injury, Charlotte has the league’s top offense. The Hornets put up 150 points on Utah. They blew out the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Our coaches and the guys in the locker room, we all knew they got our full respect and attention before the pregame,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And I thought we fought. Just another team that had a hot shooting night.”

The Lakers, who will play back-to-back games at Portland on Saturday and at home against Toronto on Sunday, have lost four of their last five. They are 25th in three-point shooting, allowing teams to shoot 37.3% from deep.

This story first appeared in the Los Angeles Times.