LaMelo Ball has gained many a fan during his time in Lithuania, Australia and now in the NBA with the Hornets. One of his newest fans, though, is a particularly interesting and unique one.
After the two-game miniseries against Charlotte, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers had high praise for Ball, throwing his name around alongside one of the brightest young players in the league (h/t Sports Illustrated).
“I love him. I had a man-crush on Luka (Doncic) last year, or maybe his rookie year. I’m moving that over now. (LaMelo)’s going to be terrific. It seems like he has a knack for the ball when he’s on defense, rebounding wise and his vision is incredible. Charlotte has a good one.”
Rivers’ experience in the NBA add a weight to his words that few other coaches or even front office figures have. On top of a 13-year career as a player, Rivers has coached for 22 seasons. His career in the NBA began in the early 80s with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and extends into the present day nearly uninterrupted.
In his two games against the Sixers, Ball scored 25 combined points while handing out 14 assists to just four turnovers. While he did not have a particularly efficient shooting night in either game, it was still plenty enough to catch the attention of Rivers.