3x NBA All-Star Compares LaMelo Ball to Michael Jordan

Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas made a bold comparison between Charlotte Hornets' LaMelo Ball and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan

Nov 12, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) celebrates after he makes a three point basket against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Everyone knows the legend of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, as the 14-time All-Star, 10-time scoring champ, five-time MVP, three-time steal champ, and six-time champion became arguably the greatest player in NBA history.

In the 1986-87 season, Jordan averaged 37.1 points per game, a feat that has not been touched since. Of course, Jordan was a prolific scorer, but three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas was not afraid to claim Jordan scored all of those points because he simply did not want to pass it to his weak teammates.

Arenas compared Jordan's early-career scoring success to that of Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball. Ball is averaging 31.1 points per game this season, but Arenas believes his high-scoring output is similar to Jordan's.

"What LaMelo is doing is exactly how basketball was played back in the day," Arenas said. "When your team is sorry, the star just shoots the ball. Stop passing to these bad a-- players... There's a reason MJ didn't pass it to f------ BJ Armstrong… MJ averaged 37, why? Because everyone else was like (unimpactful)."

Gilbert Arenas compares LaMelo to MJ in 1987:

“When your team is sorry, the star just shoots the ball… There's a reason MJ didn't pass it to fu**ing PJ Armstrong… MJ averaged 37, why? Because everyone else was like (unimpactful).”

(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/ViNMSz6U3M

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 1, 2024

The Hornets are 6-14 on the season, so it is obvious Ball's scoring is not leading to team success. Ball is having an impressive season, regardless of his career-high volume, and still averages 6.9 assists per game.

LaMelo has a long way to go to be compared to Jordan in any facet of the game, and Arena does not exactly get his point across. Sure, Jordan averaged 37 points per game when he had a weaker supporting cast, but he also led the NBA in scoring on six different championship teams.

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