The discourse around LaMelo Ball has become predictable.
“Can’t build around a guy like that.”
It’s the line that keeps getting recycled — even on nights when the evidence says otherwise.
Tonight in Washington, Ball delivered one of the most electric performances of his career in the Hornets’ win over the Wizards. He finished with 37 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and shot a blistering 10-of-15 from three. It wasn’t empty production. It was game-shifting production.
The third quarter is where the night flipped. Ball drilled six of his 10 threes in that period alone, including four in a 90-second burst that sucked the life out of the building. When LaMelo gets into that rhythm, you’re not guarding him — you’re hoping he cools off.
And historically, this wasn’t just another hot night.
Ball became the youngest player since Ty Lawson to record a 35/5/5 game with 10 or more made threes. That’s not just microwave scoring. That’s a rare statistical profile that blends shot-making, playmaking and all-around impact.
Which brings us back to the narrative.
Yes, LaMelo Ball has shown to be immature at times off the court. But, on the court the impact is undeniable. Nobody is asking him to be the face of the franchise.
The Hornets aren’t building around Ball. I believe they are going to be building around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. But, he is undeniably a significant pillar of what they’re doing.
But when people have their minds made up, they tend to find what they’re looking for. A bad shooting night confirms the bias. A night like this gets dismissed as “just the Wizards.”
The truth is simpler: players who can detonate a game with shooting gravity like that don’t grow on trees. And when they’re engaged, they tilt the floor in a way few guards can — exactly the kind of impact piece you want as you shape what comes next.
Tonight was the fourth and final game that the Hornets will be without two of their five starters, Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges. They manages to go 2-2 without them while they served a four game suspension after the Detroit brawl.
When those two return to the lineup, Tuesday night in Chicago, it'll be full steam ahead for a team looking to improve their ease into the playoffs.