LaMelo Ball snubbed from list of young stars to build around
When it comes to the young stars to build around one would think that Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball would make the shortlist. However, that was not the case in Andy Bailey’s recent post highlighting Which Young NBA Star Would You Build Around from Last 5 Drafts appearing on Bleacher Report.
Ball was relegated to honorable mention status as he was snubbed by Bailey. Ball joins the group of Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Scoot Henderson, and Franz Wagner who just missed cracking the Top 5.
"Perhaps the toughest omission from the actual top five, LaMelo Ball is already an All-Star who combines size with playmaking and a way-ahead-of-schedule jumper. At this point, the biggest concern is probably durability, but if he can stay on the floor, he should have multiple more All-Star appearances in his future."
At least the omission of LaMelo Ball is admitted to be the toughest of them all. So who did make it exactly? From five to one; Ja Morant, Tyrese Haliburton, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Anthony Edwards. There are two players here who could have been bumped for Ball and probably should have. Williamson and Wembanyama.
Williamson is a very electrifying player when he is on the court but injuries have kept him off of it more than anyone would like. Considering his availability is similar to the frequency at which Halley’s Comet passes the Earth, making the swap for Ball would have been more than justified.
As far as Wembanyama is concerned, he has played the same amount of NBA games as the majority of fans have, and that number is zero. The expectations for the Spurs rookie are very high and there is a very good chance he lives up to them. Although the chance that he doesn’t should have been enough to relegate him to being an honorable mention for the time being.
