What More Does LaMelo Ball Need To Do?

LaMelo Ball is having the most impactful season of his career. Ironically, though, it’s also the quietest one.

We’re talking about one of the most loved stars of the 2020s here, especially amongst more casual fans. Ball has been a household name since high school. He’s a walking highlight reel with a distinct personality, and he brings an infectious level of joy and excitement to the game. LaMelo is truly one of one.

It’s hard not to be captivated by Ball as a fan, which is what’s made him such a popular figure in the NBA world. It also obviously helps his case that he’s a good player. The former Rookie of the Year made his first All-Star game as a sophomore in 2021-22, and he’s had a case to earn the honor multiple times since then. In 2024-25, he was considered by many to be an All-Star lock, and there was a significant bit of outrage when he didn’t make it.

Ball averaged 20 PPG in four of his first five seasons. He’s done some incredible things on the court so far in his career. The one thing he never did, though, was win. That’s not entirely his fault, because the Hornets have rolled out some pretty poor rosters in recent years. But, if you wanted to make a knock on him, you could’ve said he was an empty stats guy and that his playstyle didn’t translate to winning.

With the way 2025-26 is going for Charlotte, you can’t say that anymore.

The Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA since 2026 began. They’re finally looking like a playoff-caliber team, and a big reason for that has been LaMelo’s growth and maturation. 

He’s always had a sporadic (if not flat-out wild) playstyle, which is just what makes him him. But, he’s reigning things in a little this season, focusing more on playing within a system and being a leader. The change is paying off for him. Right now, he’s the best player he’s ever been.

You wouldn’t know that just looking at the counting stats. He’s averaging 19.3 points, the fewest since his rookie campaign, on a career-low (and slightly gross) 39.8% from the field. However, when you watch him play, you feel the difference. He’s still taking (and making) a lot of shots, but he’s cutting down on some of the absurd looks he’s been prone to attempting. His playmaking is popping more than ever, as he finally has real weapons around him and he seeks to activate them.

LaMelo’s willingness to take somewhat of a backseat has contributed to more success for Charlotte, but it’s come at a cost. He’s no longer “the man” in Buzz City in the eyes of the NBA mediaspace. They’ve dumped LaMelo in favor of Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, the shiny new toys.

Look, Knueppel and Miller are both awesome players having awesome seasons. Knueppel should be the Rookie of the Year favorite right now. Miller has future All-Star written all over him. But those two guys are not better than Melo.

With Miller, it shouldn’t even be a debate. Almost all of his value comes from scoring, specifically shooting— he takes more shots in the short mid-range than he does at the rim. He’s on a crazy hot streak, but when he inevitably cools off, it will be clear that he isn’t as important to making the Hornets go as LaMelo is.

Knueppel has more dimensions to his game than Miller, but he’s still first and foremost an off-ball shooter. He’s been an impeccable fit in Charlotte’s perimeter-heavy system, and another way to look at that is he’s being maximized by their style of play, allowing him to look better than he actually is in a vacuum. It’s tough to imagine him reaching the heights he’s touched as a rookie if he was in Washington or Sacramento. 

LaMelo, on the other hand, is the driver for the Hornets, the guy who kickstarts the engine and lights the flame with his electric creation ability. Again, for emphasis, he’s the leader for this team and the most central part of their identity. Knueppel and Miller need him more than he needs them.

None of this is meant to be anti-Knueppel or anti-Miller propaganda. It’s all just pro-LaMelo talk, something he deserves more of. The one-time national favorite is doing what people begged him to do forever, win, but now that he’s doing it, he’s been cast aside. That’s not fair. 

The bottom line? Put some respect on LaMelo Ball’s name.