LaMelo Ball showed he can be the superstar the Charlotte Hornets have missed due to ankle injuries over the past two seasons during the team’s opener on Wednesday night.
Playing in his first regular-season game since January 26, Ball scored 34 points, handed out 11 assists, and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Hornets win 110-105 against the Houston Rockets.
He made four three-pointers and successfully shot all 10 of his free throws, contributing to Charlotte’s victory.
The Hornets are relying on Ball to play more frequently as they try to end their eight-year playoff drought.
Ball was the third pick in the 2020 draft and earned Rookie of the Year honors that season before making the All-Star team in his second year. Unfortunately, ankle injuries held him back, limiting him to just 58 games over the last two seasons.
Now that it seems he’s moved past those issues, first-year coach Charles Lee was asked what a healthy Ball means for the team.
Lee smiled and took a deep breath before responding.
“He’s like the engine for us,” he said. “If we have a healthy LaMelo Ball, we’re going to do a lot of really good things because I know that he’s going to continue to grow and he helps everyone around him continue to be better, too.”
The 23-year-old was all smiles after the game and talked about being back on the court after his tough time.
“It’s blessings, just doing what we love,” he said. “We grew up playing basketball, so to be able to still do it for your living is an amazing feeling.”
Lee mentioned that Ball has shown consistent dedication to being great since their first phone call after his hiring and praised his young star.
“He wants to be someone who gains the trust of his teammates and coaches, and he aims to be a winner who makes a difference,” Lee said.
“I told him what I believe will help us win, and you could see him putting that into action tonight with his defensive efforts, his multiple hustle plays, and on offense by passing and driving. So, I’m really excited for him.”
The Hornets were down by as many as 18 points on Wednesday but fought back to secure the win. Ball was pleased with how the team came together after a tough start.
“First game, you want to come out and set a tone,” he said. “So we had to get that first win.”
