LaMelo Ball's change in play style has the Charlotte Hornets playing their best basketball of 2024-25

A new year has meant a new LaMelo Ball.

The Charlotte Hornets' do-it-all point guard has developed a pragmatic approach to his game in 2025 that has paid dividends in the standings and on the stat sheet. Ball, the NBA's leader in three-point attempts per game, has changed his shot diet in recent contests, the majority of which have ended in Hornets wins.

For the season, LaMelo Ball averages 12.6 three-point attempts per night, nearly two more per game than his closest competitor Steph Curry. In January, a month in which the Hornets have won five of their eight games, the volume of Ball's three point attempts have declined, while his volume of free throws has climbed.

For most of the season, LaMelo had set up his drives to the cup by flaunting his limitless range early in games. Once the calendar flipped to 2025, he began to play inside out, and the team is benefitting from the dramatic stylistic change. Charles Lee talked about the switch in Ball's game and how's its impacted winning.

Lee praises LaMelo's attacking mindset

"We have asked him to play a little bit faster, try to play with more pace. Our attack guy needs to be more aggressive to try to flatten the defense and put us in more advantage situations, and he's flourished in that environment. He's been able to get himself to the basket and the free-throw line a bit more."

"And then also, he just sees the defense trying to crowd him a little bit more, sending him downhill. He's just taking what the defense gives him and he's still been very effective in a lot of different areas."

🎙️ Charles Lee on the recent change in LaMelo Ball's shot profile:

"We have asked him to play a little bit faster, try to play with more pace. Our attack guy needs to be more aggressive to try to flatten the defense and put us in more advantage situations, and he's flourished in… pic.twitter.com/XLu9ZioOma
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 26, 2025

Don't get it confused. Ball is still averaging an outrageous number of three-point attempts and is still on pace to lead the league in usage rate, but the process in which he gets to those threes has been much cleaner.

On top of playing a more efficient brand of basketball when it comes to his own bucket-getting, Ball has continued to be an elite facilitator. The flashy lobs to athletic forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate have stolen the headlines, but LaMelo continuously takes advantage of a tilted defense with smart passes into open space. According to Charles Lee, both Melo and his teammates are benefitting tremendously from his elite facilitation skills.

"Obviously when you're so talented, there's a lot put on you in terms of scoring. But other times, you have to help the other guys kind of keep up with you, and facilitate, and put them in positions to be just as successful...If he keeps hitting the seam passes, keeps passing ahead versus some of the blues, which we'll probably see tonight (two on the ball), it's going to put him in a better position throughout the game, and also his teammates."

🎙️ Charles Lee on LaMelo Ball recording 9+ AST in last 4 games:

"Love to see that stat for all of our guys. It just shows that we're trusting the pass, trusting each other, and doing it for 48 minutes. He's grown tremendously and bringing all these guys along with him." pic.twitter.com/g7tUB3E1FG
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 22, 2025

Spurred by LaMelo's brilliance, the Hornets have played like a top ten team in basketball this month. In a small sample size that covers the last eight games played for every team in the league, Charlotte ranks 15th in offensive rating and 6th in defensive rating, good for the 10th best net rating in basketball. In that time Charlotte has endured an injury to Brandon Miller, a trade of their primary backup center, rotation players bouncing in and out of the lineup due to ailments and G-League assignments, and the integration of Josh Okogie into their system.

Charles Lee might just be a good coach.

Charlotte is in the midst of a nine-game home stand that includes some of the Western Conference's best making a trip to the 704, meaning LaMelo Ball's improved play will be tested by a host of potential playoff contenders entering the Spectrum Center. If he continues to play like he has, it's wheels up for the Hornets, and those that are lucky enough to able to attend games during this franchise-record home stand are in for an absolute treat.

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