Charlotte Hornets: 3 bold predictions for LaMelo Ball’s rookie year

Charlotte Hornets bold predictions for LaMelo Ball: Wins Rookie of the Year

This year’s rookie class has not gotten a ton of positive press in comparison to past rookie years. Coming into 2019-20, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Coby White immediately lit up an impressive rookie season — from Summer League to preseason to the regular season — and all threw their hats in the early running for Rookie of the Year.

Ja Morant eventually pulled away, but from the jump, the rookie class was impactful and noteworthy. This year, the draft class garners a reputation that feels much more like a typical “freshman” class, having to prove themselves before the upperclassmen start showing some respect.

That means Rookie of the Year is wide open. Anthony Edwards, who went No. 1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, and Obi Toppin, and Killian Hayes all figure to be early leaders in the race. Surprise faces may have an impact, like Patrick Williams on the Chicago Bulls.

But LaMelo Ball actually figures to be in the best position to win the award, so long as he can stay healthy. No team will rely on their rookie quite as much as Charlotte.

Edwards enters an already talented team in Minnesota that features Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Wiseman will play a pivotal role in giving the Golden State Warriors more size and strength, but Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins will stuff the stat sheet.

Killian Hayes and Obi Toppin might be Ball’s most likely direct competitors. Both will have some impact on their respective teams from day one.

But the race is wide open. Though Ball is noted to be the betting favorite by a few sportsbooks, favorites often don’t win. Ball might be the most likely, but it would still be a bold finish if he were to win Rookie of the Year.

With his passing ability, court vision, and improving scoring, Ball could very well be the team’s first Rookie of the Year since Larry Johnson in 1992.