For LaMelo Ball, the talented star guard of the Charlotte Hornets, it’s a make or break season. He has trouble with foul trouble and calls and faces more pressure defensively from opponents. Ball is tall, standing at 6’7” and weighing in at 190 lbs. He’s playing some of the best basketball of his career, already averaging a career-high 25.2 points per game, in addition to 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds. His path has not been without challenges.
From the jump this season, Ball had issues keeping his composure and he often found himself in foul trouble. In fact, per https://t.co/lTBxsRjOqr, he fouled out of 14% of his games early in the year. This created huge questions about his ability to stay on the court and thus help win games for his future team. It’s become even more problematic as opposing teams have increased their physicality. Yet they relentlessly smother him with ball hawking defensive schemes.
Later in the season, opposing defenses began to ramp up their defensive schemes to account for Ball. They used both hand and body check rules on the perimeter, and body checked him often as he tried to attack the basket. This inexorable added pressure forced Ball to improve his game. He had to grind a little more just to get past the defensive gameplans that aimed to disrupt his rhythm.
Even with these issues, Ball’s defense got better as the season progressed. He started to find his groove amidst the increased physicality and figured out how to better work around the dirty, dangerous tactics often used by his opposition. His capacity to address these testable obstacles speaks to his fortitude and ceiling of development as a participant.
In each of the past two seasons, Ball’s outings were consistently plagued by injury that ultimately led to surgeries ending his season early. He played in a mere 36 games his second season and only 22 his rookie season. This year has been a departure from that trend, as Ball has made it onto the court for 47 games this season so far. His passion for remaining on the court is evident in his performance averages. Most importantly perhaps, they highlight his impressive scoring prowess and exceptional playmaking abilities.
It’s Ball’s offensive skills that truly wow the collective masses. He doesn’t just shoot well, he can hit difficult pull-up, long-range shots, including incredible turnaround threes off one foot. These abilities have made him a key player for the Hornets, allowing him to consistently score and create opportunities for his teammates. He must continue to focus on developing his physical strength to withstand the rigors of the game and improve his defensive capabilities.
Coach James Borrego has commented on Ball’s need to ‘get stronger,’ highlighting the importance of physical conditioning in enhancing his overall performance. As teams increase their defensive pressures on him, it’s essential for Ball to continue improving his strength. This will be important for him to stay effective on the court.
Leave a Reply