ESPN Reporter Slams NBA Star LaMelo Ball

ESPN's Tim MacMahon spoke about Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball.

Feb 23, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

LaMelo Ball has proven that when he is healthy, he can be among the best 25 players in the NBA.

That said, the 23-year-old has struggled with injuries since being drafted with the third pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Last year, he averaged 23.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.8 steals per contest while shooting 43.3% from the field and 35.5% from the three-point range in 22 games.

In a recent episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, ESPN's Tim MacMahon made a bold assessment of Ball.

MacMahon: "LaMelo has as high a ceiling as all but a handful of players in the NBA... I don't know that LaMelo Ball can play winning basketball. I don't know if LaMelo Ball can be the franchise player on a winner. He's got a pretty empty calories game... His efficiency is garbage, his defense is horrific and I don't see a lot of evidence that the guy considers winning to be a priority."

Hornets fans will likely be upset with MacMahon's comments, but he will have a lot to prove over the next few seasons.

Through 184 games, Ball has career averages of 20.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.6 steals per contest while shooting 42.7% from the field and 37.4% from the three-point range.

In 2022, Ball made the All-Star Game (he appeared in a career-high 75 games).

Feb 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Team Durant guard LaMelo Ball (2) shoots a three pointer in the third quarter against Team LeBron during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Hornets finished last season as the 13th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 21-51 record.

They have missed the NBA playoffs for eight straight seasons.

Tim MacMahon questions if LaMelo can be a franchise player, calling his game "empty calories."

“His efficiency is garbage. His defense is horrific. And I don't see a lot of evidence that the guy considers winning to be a priority.”

(h/t @HornetsReddit)

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 24, 2024