LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
No. 5: LaMelo Ball – Charlotte Hornets – Point Guard
It might seem surprising that the Hornets’ best player comes in at No. 5 but it’s not as crazy as it might seem. As a rookie, LaMelo Ball proved doubters who said he wasn’t a good 3-point shooter wrong, but there’s still plenty of room for him to grow.
Ball is expected to move up this list quickly and if all goes right, he could become the best 3-point shooter on the team. However, right now, his game is still based more on his ability to facilitate, drive to the basket and shoot mid-range jumpers.
He might not have the prettiest looking shot but Ball knows how to score the ball. From the field, Ball shot 43.6%, and 35% from the 3-point line during his rookie year. In February, Ball hit a career-high seven 3-pointers against the Houston Rockets. Once Ball finds his sweet spot, he has the potential to be an unstoppable player in the NBA.
The only reason he’s not higher on this list right now is because of the one season under his belt and the consistency not being fully developed just yet. Ball ranked ninth among Hornets players last season who averaged more than 20 minutes per game in shooting efficiency, proving there is some work to be done.
Ball also missed a chunk of time due to a broken wrist last year which likely affected his shooting down the stretch, which can really make opposing teams nervous about the improvement he’ll have as a sophomore in the league.