LaMelo Ball has been excelling offensively this season. Now, new Hornets coach Charles Lee wants Ball to show he can perform well on defense too.
Ball fouled out again on Saturday against the Boston Celtics, leading to a 113-103 loss. At just 23 years old, he has fouled out three times in six games and has racked up 30 fouls.
“We need to keep challenging him to see if he can guard one-on-one, or if we need to send help every time, or if he’s going to keep fouling,” Lee said. “As a coaching staff, we have to figure out what we can accept. And through talking with him, can he commit to defending without fouling and just show his hands?”
Ball picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter on Saturday.
Lee mentioned that Ball is making too many “non-competitive” fouls, like reaching for the ball. He also fouled Jayson Tatum twice while he was shooting 3-pointers in the last two games.
“I can accept a tough shot from Payton Pritchard or Jayson Tatum,” Lee said. “But the easy fouls where he just gives up on the play are what we need to avoid.”
Ball has been impressive on offense for the Hornets (2-4). The 2022 NBA All-Star is averaging 29 points in six games and shooting 38.7% from three-point range, making him crucial to the team’s offensive success.
“On offense, he has been a fantastic playmaker,” Lee said. “He creates well with pick and rolls. Sometimes he moves too fast, and the rest of the team struggles to keep up, but he still finds a way to make plays.”
