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Former NBA All-Star believes that LaMelo Ball should play for the Los Angeles Clippers

Matt Alquiza

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Death, taxes, a small market team like the Charlotte Hornets having something nice and the NBA world at large trying to figure out how to move them to a bigger media market. The latest example revolves around global basketball superstar LaMelo Ball.

Arenas: LaMelo Ball in Los Angeles would be "must see TV"

One on hand, Gilbert Arenas (a 3x All NBA point guard) is not wrong. LaMelo Ball would be absolutely box office in the City of Stars. A homecoming for Ball would be one of the NBA's leading headlines; a story that talking heads would drool over like a dog coming home from a July walk. His flashy play style and effervescent fashion sense was built to play in a big city like Los Angeles. LaMelo Ball and his brothers became viral hoops sensations as junior hoopers at Chino Hills, and a return to his hometown would be a realization of his braggadocios father's dreams. Those truths are impossible to deny.

However, Ball is doing just fine in Charlotte. His dominant start to the 2024-25 NBA season has brought eyes to the Queen City, highlighting Charles Lee's upstart squad. LaMelo Ball continues to drop signature shoes and create groundbreaking partnerships with international brands like Fortnite. Why can't LaMelo Ball continue to be box office in Charlotte? Wouldn't it behoove the NBA to spread the eyes that view their product across a myriad of cities? Charlotte has grown a ton as a city and a community, and the retention of superstar athletes like LaMelo Ball will continue to raise the city's profile.

The Hornets All-Star guard is in the first year of a five-year, $204 million contract that will keep him in Charlotte until his age 28 season of 2028-29. At that point, Ball will be free to choose any destination he desires. For now, he's in Charlotte, he's hooping, and he's not going anywhere.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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