LaMelo Ball snubbed in another early All-Star Game prediction

Once again, LaMelo Ball was not picked to make the All-Star Game this season.

Nov 25, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) tries to strip the ball from Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo ball (1) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images / Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

LaMelo Ball is having a career year. After returning from a seven-game, injury-induced hiatus, the Charlotte Hornets point guard is averaging over 30 points, five rebounds, and seven assists per game for the season. Those numbers, specifically the points and assists, are among the top players in the league. Unfortunately, he's once again being picked as a snub for the All-Star Game.

NBA analyst predicts ASG snub for LaMelo Ball

Earlier in the year, just after LaMelo Ball got hurt, one NBA analyst predicted that team record would hurt the Hornets guard's chances. Now, another analyst is doing the same thing. CBS Sports' Sam Quinn says that the 30 next to Ball's points shouldn't automatically make him an All-Star.

He cited Bradley Beal in 2020, who was not averaging 30 but was among the league leaders. But because the then-Washington Wizards star had missed a few games and his team was bad, Beal missed out. That is, per Quinn, "Ball in a nutshell."

Quinn also argued that 2020 Beal and 2024 Ball bring "little else to the table besides shot creation." That would be ignoring the 7.2 assists he averages, good for 11th in the entire NBA. Quinn also criticized Ball's defensive metrics, though there's not much evidence to dispute that claim.

The analyst also noted that Ball may not actually be playing better than ever before but simply shooting more often. "There's something to be said for raising scoring volume without significantly declining in efficiency," Quinn said. "But that doesn't mean what Ball does is driving winning."

Quinn instead hailed Cade Cunningham for keeping the Detroit Pistons competitive and doing better with a level of talent that's not on par. In Quinn's eyes, what Cunningham (23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.7 points on an 11-16 team) is much more impressive than what Ball (30.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists on a 7-19 team) is doing.

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