LaMelo Ball and the Hornets are putting on some show. Too bad more people can’t see it

Scott Fowler

There were no fans in the Spectrum Center on Saturday night, and that’s a downright shame.

Because what LaMelo Ball did — a triple-double in only his 10th NBA game — deserved a sellout crowd rather than the 20 or so of us scattered around the arena in Charlotte, all marveling at what we saw.

The Charlotte Hornets are suddenly fun again. That’s not just because of Ball, although he has a lot to do with it. The Hornets (5-5) score creatively and enthusiastically. When they combine that on the nights they play decent defense, they can beat just about anybody. Gordon Hayward immediately has become their best “late-shot-clock” option, extricating them from bad possessions, and they have enough guys who can posterize you on dunks that every fast break hums with possibility.

And then there’s Ball, whose presence has suddenly ensured the Hornets show up on “SportsCenter” every night.

At age 19 and four months, Ball became the youngest NBA player to post a triple-double Saturday night. He had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in an eight-point win over Atlanta. He’s waaaaaaay better than I thought he was, already. And — this bears repeating — he’s 19.

In his last two games, LaMelo has thoroughly outplayed his older brother, Lonzo, and Atlanta’s young star, Trae Young. Ball was one assist short of a triple double Friday night against New Orleans and Lonzo, then got it the very next night against Atlanta.

“A 19-year-old rookie does not look like this,” Hornets coach James Borrego said Saturday night. “This is just rare, what you’re seeing.”

Or not seeing, as the case may be.

Can you watch Hornets games?

For many would-be fans, these Hornets are playing in the shadows. Not only has COVID-19 knocked Charlotte out of having any fans at home games for the foreseeable future, but a TV carriage dispute too boring to get into the details of has knocked the Hornets off of a lot of people’s screens, including mine.

This Hornets blackout has affected all those who have cut the cable cord most of all, but I’m not even a cord-cutter. I’ve got Dish Network, but the Hornets aren’t on there, either. Fox Sports Southeast still carries the Hornets’ games, or so I’m told, but the cable channel’s existence has become a mystery to me — a digital Bigfoot that offers occasional tantalizing glimpses of what’s happening on Twitter.

So Ball’s rookie season is happening in an odd world. This doesn’t faze him at all, obviously, and why would it? Ball’s entire life — from his bombastic father to his overseas basketball odyssey — has been unconventional.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, right, drives to the basket on Dec. 26th to score against Oklahoma City. Ball often goes left on his drives and uses his left hand to finish, although he’s right-handed.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, right, drives to the basket on Dec. 26th to score against Oklahoma City. Ball often goes left on his drives and uses his left hand to finish, although he’s right-handed.

Some of you have gently reminded me that I was less than enthusiastic about the Hornets picking Ball with the No. 3 overall pick in November. I absolutely didn’t know he was this good, and if you’re being honest, I bet you didn’t either. Down the line, a full “I was wrong” column is likely forthcoming from me, although I’m going to wait on that massive mea culpa for a larger sample size first. Ten games does not an NBA season make.

Still, the start so far has been promising, for both Ball and the Hornets. Charlotte has won three in a row. Hayward is playing and leading well, P.J. Washington has become a decent small-ball center and Terry Rozier has bursts of brilliance.

“I feel like I was born to do this,” Ball said shortly after the Hornets picked him at No. 3. So far, other than in that first NBA game when he went 0-for-5 and didn’t score, he’s looked exactly like that.

LaMelo Ball is ‘a special player’

Ball is so good with his left hand that he may as well be ambidextrous, and he’s more careful with the ball than all those dazzling passes would suggest. He turned it over just once Saturday night, compared with 11 assists. His jumper still has that off-beat rotation, but he’s shooting 35.6% from three-point range in the NBA so far after shooting only 25% from there last year in Australia.

“He’s a special player,” Borrego said. “I love the person. I love the kid. More than anything, I love his spirit. I love what he brings to our locker room, our organization and I’m just proud of him.”

Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego, left, said of LaMelo Ball Saturday night: “A 19-year-old rookie does not look like this. This is just rare, what you’re seeing.”
Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego, left, said of LaMelo Ball Saturday night: “A 19-year-old rookie does not look like this. This is just rare, what you’re seeing.”

Eventually, more people are going to see all that.

There will be a few fans at home games, and then a few more and, eventually, a sellout for a big game again. Somewhere in there, surely, the contract dispute will be solved and the Hornets will be everywhere on TV once more.

This team, if it stays injury-free, has a shot at the playoffs. And whether or not it gets there this season, it’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.

If you can.

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