Renowned NBA Insiders Actually Include LaMelo Ball on All-NBA Ballots

Don't expect to see LaMelo Ball on an All-NBA team this year. Despite a career year, he probably still falls short. That said, a few have deemed the Charlotte Hornets guard absolutely worthy of the honor in official and unofficial voting.

Sporting News' Stephen Noh is a pretty big name in the NBA media world, so it's not insignificant that he included Ball on his Third Team. That's the same team that Kemba Walker made at the height of his powers, so it's a huge thing.

It's also important for Ball. He's got a ton of fans, but because of his efficiency and (former) health issues, Ball is not nearly as popular with NBA media members as he should be. He shoots a low percentage and turns the ball over a decent amount, and that doesn't sit well with plenty.

That doesn't matter to Noh, though, and it shouldn't matter overall. Noh's argument is flawless, "Ball is my last pick, and he will be a controversial one. His game is polarizing and imperfect. His mistakes can be loud. But his brilliance is undeniable too."

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) is given a prime award after the second half | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

He continued, "He improvises plays that nobody else would think of. He's been the catalyst of a Hornets offense that skyrocketed from 29th to 5th in the league. And he got Charlotte to win 25 more games than last year."

His raw numbers are good but not great. 20.1 points per game (on 40.7% shooting) with 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists are very good numbers, but nothing about it screams All-NBA, even Third Team.

But take a closer look at what he does when he's on the court, and there are plenty of reasons Ball is worthy of an All-NBA spot, even over snubs from Noh's ballot like James Harden, Jalen Duren, Derrick White, Alperen Sengun, Karl-Anthony Towns, Scottie Barnes, and Stephon Castle.

Among those with 1600 minutes played this season, Ball ranks eighth in the NBA in on/off splits. Even with his less-than-stellar defense, Ball-led units are almost 10 points better than their opponents. He was the catalyst behind the league's best lineup by net rating.

The seven ahead of him? Moussa Diabaté (shoutout to Moose), Dyson Daniels, Bam Adebayo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (the MVP), Kawhi Leonard, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic. That is a who's who.

Ball ranked 16th in the entire NBA in offensive rating with an incredible 123.2 mark. But if we filter for those who appeared in at least 40 games, Ball ranks sixth. He was one of the best offensive players in the sport, efficient or not.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

And that is absolutely deserving of an All-NBA slot. According to the NBA award tracking document, one legitimate ballot (Noh's is an unofficial vote) has Ball on it. Dan Devine of Yahoo! Sports is right there with Noh in official capacity.

"You know who else is really good — or, at least, has been since about Christmas? The Hornets. And while it’s taken a village to get Charlotte back to the postseason, the prime mover behind this surge has been Ball — long a can’t-take-your-eyes-off-him showman who this year, thanks largely to better health and better teammates, has used that audacity to drive one of the NBA’s best offenses," he wrote.

"The Hornets have scored a scorching 125.7 points-per-100 in his minutes and, according to PBP Stats, have been nearly as dominant when he plays without either Knueppel or Miller (+14.2 points-per-100 in 172 minutes) as when he plays with them (+16.2 points-per-100 in 840 minutes)," he continued.

A third insider also put him on the official ballot. Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal put Ball on the Third Team as well. He cited the fact that Ball was the primary engine of an elite NBA offense, which is more or less the main argument.

Again, it's unlikely Ball makes a team, but it is nice to see him get some recognition after his All-Star snub in 2024-25.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Charlotte Hornets

Add us as a preferred source on Google