Anonymous scout rips Charlotte Hornets’ star LaMelo Ball
The opinions of Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball can vary from person to person. There exists a large group who sees what he is capable of on the court and can envision a future that sees him among the best players in the league. Then there is that other group. One that prefers to be skeptical about certain players for one reason or another. A recent comment from an anonymous scout clearly shows that they are part of the latter group and not the former.
The comments, appearing in Chris Mannix’s Southeast Division preview on Sports Illustrated, came from a scout who chose to remain anonymous. Considering the nature of these comments, it is easy to see why. Anonymous Scout called out the way Ball plays the game, essentially saying he is more style than substance.
"“LaMelo [Ball] is a guy that will probably flame out. I just don’t think he does enough all around. I actually don’t think he’s super dynamic offensively, I think he’s just super dazzling. He’s super dazzling. He’s the dude with the best costume. He’s just all the dazzle and he’s not that dynamic. Can he shoot it really well from three? I don’t know. Yeah, he’s pretty good and crafty in the pick-and-roll, he’s not strong at all, so he gets pushed around. He can’t defend anyone. I don’t see it. I don’t see it, besides the cool passes.”"
This seems to be a little over-the-top harsh for the sake of being over-the-top harsh. Is Ball a perfect player? Far from it. Ball has areas that he does need to work on, but that is a designation that applies to the overwhelming majority of the league. What makes Ball different is that his ceiling is significantly higher than pretty much anyone on that list. Sure, Ball does need to improve his defense and over-efficiency, but keeping in mind that he is still only 22 years old, that is something that can be accomplished.
What this all comes down to is there is usually a reason someone chooses to remain anonymous when making bold statements such as these. Is it possible that they are ultimately proven true? Yes, but the same possibility also exists that they are proven false. Only time will tell.
