No. 3 overall pick LaMelo Ball dazzled during his long-awaited NBA debut on Saturday as the Charlotte Hornets opened up preseason play by hosting the Toronto Raptors.
Ball went scoreless in 16 minutes of work but hauled in 10 rebounds and dished out four assists during the 111-100 loss to the Raptors. He recorded five boards alone during his first stint on the floor and often looked to pass immediately after a rebound to create a number of fastbreak situations.
While he was only credited with four assists, Ball showed off his court vision throughout his time on the court with a number of flashy passes. Perhaps his best play of the night came on a behind-the-back no-look pass to Miles Bridges.
LaMelo's court vision is ridiculous đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/I66WjQvxZU
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2020
Ball sat for the entire fourth quarter as Hornets head coach James Borrego opted to empty his bench to pave the way for the likes of Grant Riller, Vernon Carey Jr. and others. The contest marked the first competitive game for Ball in over a year so Borrego likely didn’t want to overwork him in his first game.
Overall, the 19-year-old looked to be comfortable on the floor with his new teammates. Although he didn’t score, Ball has been known to be a streaky scorer throughout his career so the offense figures to eventually come to him in the future.
Ball and the Hornets will return to action on Monday as they once again host the Raptors.
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