LaMelo Ball’s rookie season with the Charlotte Hornets was a standout one, even if it ended in disappointment both personally and from a team standpoint. Ball was never able to find his rhythm after returning from injury – something that may be attributed to his wrist being less than 100% – and the Hornets crashed out of the play-in game in the process.
As he heads into his first offseason as an NBA player, Ball is already setting expectations high for his sophomore season in the league.
“You want to go into every year just thinking championship,” he said during his exit interview on Thursday, “because, if not, why are you even playing or what are you even doing? That’s the mindset people have to have.”
While a title would certainly be a surprise given the current roster for the Hornets, the team did show signs of something special moving forward this season. At full health, Charlotte was one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, peaking as high as the fourth seed.
More than how realistic it is for the Hornets to be considered title contenders, Ball having this type of mindset is an attribute that great players often have and it’s a positive sign for the future of the franchise with Ball leading the way.