LaMelo Ball came into the NBA with a ton of hype surrounding him. Between his overall swagger and his loudmouth father, it seemed like the youngster would either really deliver on expectations or get swallowed up whole by them.
So far, 22 games into the season, Ball is proving his doubters wrong. On Wednesday night, he scored 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 4 assists in a showdown versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
After the game, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers gave a very honest assessment of both Ball and the Hornets overall.
“I think Ball is showing what he’s gonna be, he’s gonna be a terrific player,” he said.
Beyond that, Rivers noted that Charlotte has “great guard play” and “shot makers.”
Players aside, the Sixers head coach also had nothing but praise for Hornets head coach James Borrego.
Now it all makes sense. https://t.co/bgKIaCE46a
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 3, 2021
“They’re well-coached,” Rivers noted.
“I just think that they’re playing better, but I thought they played well against us. They’re going to be a team I’d be surprised if they didn’t make the playoffs, just my opinion. So you have to be ready to play them.”
A lot of people wanted to see Ball fail and get his comeuppance for coming into the NBA with so much attitude – but clearly that isn’t going to happen. He has already made history once this year, and it’s beginning to look like that was simply an early sign of future success to come.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
