LaMelo Ball has been playing unconsciously down the stretch, and his late‑season surge has pushed him firmly into the All‑NBA conversation. Despite never earning the honor before, a healthy Ball is delivering a level of play this year that’s impossible to ignore. He’s carrying the Charlotte Hornets.
Eligibility won’t be an issue, either. Players must appear in at least 65 regular‑season games to qualify for All‑NBA consideration, and Ball is on pace to clear that bar comfortably. With 60 games already under his belt—his highest total since 2021—he’s finally pairing elite production with consistent availability.
All‑NBA voting is subjective, but it seems that voters typically weigh statistical performance, team impact, and overall value. So what makes Ball’s compelling case stand out in such a crowded field of stellar players?
Ball’s convincing case
Ball has delivered All‑NBA impact whenever he’s been on the floor. Over his last three outings, he’s been nothing short of amazing: averaging 26.3 points, 7.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals on 50/41/85 shooting splits. And he’s doing all of this while leading Charlotte to three straight wins, despite playing only about 27 minutes per game.
His season averages don’t fully capture the entire picture because his minutes have been limited, often due to early foul trouble. But when you scale his production to per‑36 minutes, the real numbers reveal themselves:
Season averages: 19.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.2 SPG
Per‑36 numbers: 25.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.5 SPG
That’s nearly a double‑double with elite scoring and assists, numbers that would put him squarely in the All‑NBA mix if they were his raw per‑game stats. Even so, Ball’s value isn’t confined to the stat sheet, as he dictates the entire flow of Charlotte’s offense.
Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hornets scored +13.9 more points per 100 possessions more when Ball was on the court than when he was off. That ranks in the 99th percentile leaguewide. The advanced metrics validate what the eye test already shows: Charlotte becomes a completely different team the moment Ball checks in.
Add in his unguardable step‑back jumper and the kind of creative playmaking that elevates every teammate, and it’s easy to understand why fans are pushing for him to earn All‑NBA recognition.
The Hornets’ historic turnaround simply doesn’t happen without Ball leading this team. Charlotte is on track to finish with a winning record, and it’s difficult to identify 15 players who have met the games‑played requirement and delivered more value to their team than he has. With so many stars either ineligible or at risk of missing the threshold, this season presents a prime opportunity for Ball to seize his first All‑NBA nod.
It’s rare for a non‑All‑Star to make it onto an All‑NBA team, but it’s not unprecedented. Al Jefferson did it for the Hornets back in 2014. And just as Kon Knueppel looks like a lock for Rookie of the Year, Ball has built a resume worthy of serious consideration for at bare minimum the All‑NBA Third Team.