Michael Jordan gives “A” to LaMelo Ball performance

Charlotte. Rookie LaMelo Ball has caught the NBA’s attention this season with his imaginative passing and surprising scoring ability, including Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan.

The six-time NBA champion said that when the Hornets Ball with the number three pick from the 2020 draw, they expected the astute 6’6 ” point guard to eventually rise to the tier of becoming an All-Star .

Jordan likes the way Ball is trending.

“I think Melo has adapted to the NBA game better than we thought early in his career,” Jordan told The Associated Press in an email. “He has exceeded our expectations this season so far.”

Ball leads all rookies in most statistical categories, including points (15.8), assists (6.3), rebounds (6) and steals (1.6) per game.

More importantly, Ball’s game, which features a variety of skilled passes and threads, has given the necessary spice and star potential to a franchise that has been forgotten for years. The Hornets enter the All-Star break 17-18, just one game behind the Boston Celtics in fourth place in the ultra-tight Eastern Conference.

“He really means business,” said Jazz point guard Donovan Mitchell.

Warriors attacker Draymond Green recently tweeted, “LaMelo is a threat!”

“Right now, with the way things look, he looks like the NBA Rookie of the Year to me,” Mavericks manager Rick Carlisle said. “He’s doing it statistically, his team is winning. He’s got energy, he’s got a vibe, he’s arrogant. If you like seeing the players playing with style, he’s up there ”.

Ball, who grew up watching the highlights of Penny Hardaway and Jamal Crawford, sees things on the field that most players don’t.

He regularly delivers on-time passes leading to transition journeys, for open triples and airlifts from the pick-and-roll, many of which go to Miles Bridges, earning the duo the nickname “AirBnB”.

Ball’s impact with the Hornets was almost immediate, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double in his 10th NBA game. Still, it took 20 games for Hornets coach James Borrego to put him in the starting line-up after an injury to Devonte Graham.

It is unlikely that Ball will step down anytime soon.

The 19-year-old has increased his game in just 15 starts, averaging 20.6 points, 6.6 assists and 6.2 rebounds and has already beaten NBA rookie of the month twice.

“Being myself, I will never say that going on the couch was a smart or a good thing,” said Ball. “I always feel like I’m helping out on the field. … But I think one of the reasons is that we didn’t have a summer league, so he probably wanted to make it easier for me. “

Borrego added, “His growth, his courage, his ability to recover, even when things aren’t going well on one side of the court … he’s a special young man.”

Before the NBA draw, there were concerns about Ball’s unorthodox shooting form with a lower throw point than most. He has proven the skeptics wrong in finding ways to make his own shot while hitting 37.8% from outside the arc.

Ball said coaches have tried to change his shooting form almost everywhere he’s been, but he’s steadfastly resisted.

“I always said, ‘This is how I shoot,’” said Ball. “I have confidence in that. I feel good to let go. Even when they got here (to the Hornets) they quietly tried to tweak it a bit, but I was like, ‘No, this is how I shoot’ and just stuck with it. ‘

“I think people were initially asking, was he a good shooter?” Asked Mitch Kupchak, Hornets general manager. “I don’t think that’s a problem.”

That ability to shoot has forced teams to defend Ball behind the arch, making it easier for him to penetrate and score or hit the plate.

“Man, it’s okay,” Mitchell admitted. “I’m not going to lie, I am very impressed with his playing skills, his competitiveness, but his joy. … has a lot of talent; it can do many different things. “

Ball indicated he wants to add some muscle to the frame and Jordan added “We believe he will continue to work and improve as a player.”

Ball’s long-term goal in the NBA is simple, if not lofty: he wants to be a Hall of Famer like Jordan. Nothing would please the six-time champion with the Chicago Bulls more.

The Hornets haven’t made it to the playoffs since 2016 and haven’t won a playoff series in 19 years.

They lacked the power of the stars.

Ball, with 5.7 million followers on Instagram, is attracting national attention. And his disinterested, pass-friendly approach could make the Hornets an attractive destination for future free agents, making Charlotte more competitive.

Like most rookies, Ball must keep improving on the defensive side of the field for the Hornets to achieve consistent success.

“Our goal is to build a consistent winner and let free agents see our show, just like Gordon (Hayward) did off-season,” Jordan said. “It’s not all about Melo. It’s about our group of young and talented players, our coaching staff and our entire Hornets organization. All those factors,