NBA media can't resist slandering LaMelo Ball while praising Cade Cunningham

Whenever possible, the NBA media tries to convince everyone that LaMelo Ball isn't as good as he seems. The flashy plays and the big box scores are meaningless, they argue, since he can't win basketball games. "Not a winning player" has been a criticism against him for years.

That came up again when Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams named Ball and the Charlotte Hornets totally unnecessarily. They wanted to praise Cunningham and the Pistons and couldn't resist taking a shot at Ball and the Hornets.

Former NBA players slander LaMelo Ball to prop up Cade Cunningham

Lou Williams & Chandler Parsons Credit Cade For Not Only Putting Up Stats Like Lamelo, But Also Winning Games. #DetroitBasketball

-Via @RunItBackFDTV pic.twitter.com/JrchlGPX8y
— Downtown Deuce (@DowntownDeuce) January 21, 2025

Cade Cunningham has the Detroit Pistons playing better than most people expected. They've already far surpassed last season's win total and are currently the sixth seed in the East. They're poised for a playoff run this year, and Cunningham has been a big part of that thanks to the leap he's taken.

In praising him, though, former NBA vets Lou Williams and Chandler Parsons had to bring up the Hornets and compared Cunningham to LaMelo Ball. "This is the LaMelo Ball thing. We know that you're an All-Star player," Williams said. "Now how does this transition into winning? How do you push a franchise forward? Cade Cunningham has been able to do that. That's what separates him."

Parsons chimed in, "The Pistons aren't that much better on paper than the Hornets... but they're winning games. That I think speaks volumes of Cade Cunningham. Anybody can put up good stats on a bad team." Parsons added that Cunningham should be an All-Star lock and should be in All-NBA conversations.

This conversation has never left Ball, it just has a new face now. Since Cunningham is playing very well and his team is winning, that's the new comparison for Ball. It completely ignores the fact that Ball has had three of the other four starters (and two key reserves) miss substantial time with injury.

Jan 22, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ball has only played six games with the other four starters. That hurts a team's ability to win, which is also not impacted by one singular player. Each player on an NBA team does have more say in winning than each player on an NFL, MLB, MLS, or even an NHL team, but it's still a team sport.

When Ball is out there, there are four others with him. Throughout a game, he will be one of eight to 10 players who play, so winning, which is a team stat, should not always be attributed to a single player.

Additionally, Parsons' argument doesn't hold water. Ball is fourth in the NBA in points per game, but there are high-level players on a lot of bad teams. Jordan Poole, Scottie Barnes, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, CJ McCollum, and others come to mind. They're not scoring nearly 30 points per contest.

Ball admittedly does this by shooting a lot more than most players, but the Hornets' roster isn't constructed with a lot of other scorers in mind. Brandon Miller is, but he's hurt right now. Mark Williams is playing well, but he's a center without a jump shot. Miles Bridges is also playing well, but he's averaging less than 20 points.

Ball has to shoot to give the Hornets a chance more often than not since the roster is devoid of other All-Stars. The Hornets guard is likely to make the All-Star team, which will at least temporarily throw some dirt on this conversation. If the last few years are any indication, though, it won't die out until the Hornets win big. That's on the organization, not an individual player.

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