LaMelo Ball

American basketball point guard who became NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and three-time All-Star, known for flashy playmaking and court vision.

LaMelo LaFrance Ball was born in Chino Hills, California in 2001, the youngest of three basketball-playing brothers. He played professionally in Lithuania and Australia before Charlotte Hornets selected him third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 2021 after averaging 15.7 points and 6.1 assists per game. He was selected to three All-Star games by age 23. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2023 after averaging 23.3 points per game. His passing — no-look, half-court, through multiple defenders — generates the kind of instant social media virality that few players in history have matched. He averaged 8.9 assists per game in the 2022-23 season. His combination of vision, scoring and natural showmanship makes Charlotte Hornets games among the most watched despite the team's limited playoff success. Persistent ankle injuries — he has missed significant time in multiple seasons — have prevented sustained appreciation of what he can produce when healthy. His talent is considered generational — capable of producing 30-point, 12-assist performances on any given night when fully healthy and engaged.

Creative playmaker with excellent passing ability, improving shooter, versatile scorer

Rising star point guard known for exceptional court vision and basketball IQ

• Rookie of the Year (2021)
• All-Star 3x
• All-NBA Second Team
• Most Improved Player (2023)