This season, three first-timers were able to secure an All-NBA slot, with Evan Mobley joining the second team and Cade Cunningham and Jalen Williams making it to the third squad. Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports predicted who among the players drafted in the 2020s will be next to secure the feat, and LaMelo Ball astonishingly didn't appear on the list.
Topping the list are Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero. There's no arguing against those selections, as they are already among the best players in the league, and their respective teams are expected to be contenders moving forward. Even the third choice, Alperen Sengun, seems like a safe bet, considering his stature in the league and the Houston Rockets finishing as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this season.
Where it gets contentious is Salerno's last two picks, as he named Tyrese Maxey and Amen Thompson. They are great players, for sure, but really aren't better than the Charlotte Hornets star.
LaMelo Ball has already proven to be an All-NBA level player
Salerno did mention Ball, but only to compare him with Maxey. The sports scribe made a case for the latter, contending that the Sixers star is the better scorer and in a more favorable situation.
The notion that Maxey is superior in the scoring department is somewhat laughable. He may have logged a higher points average and field-goal percentage by the end of the 2024-25 regular season, but is it that easy to forget that Ball was battling for the scoring crown early in the campaign? The 2021 Rookie of the Year even became the unofficial title of king of the fourth quarter at some point for his bucket-getting exploits in crunch time. If it weren't for injuries holding him back, he would have been able to sustain his stature as a top scorer.
As for Thompson making it to the list before Ball, that's borderline criminal. The Rockets youngster showed up in the postseason, providing non-shooting wings with proof that they can make an impact on a playoff squad even without being able to space the floor well. Even the Hornets should be rethinking their roster-building philosophy because of him.
However, Thompson's defensive exploits won't assuredly secure him a place in any of the three All-NBA squads. On the other hand, Ball has already proven that he can reach elite status, such as when he made a brief appearance on the MVP ladder before injuries started ruining his 2024-25 season.
The Hornets' status shouldn't penalize their floor general gaining any traction in future All-NBA voting. After all, history has shown that the best players can join the club even if they're playing for lowly teams. And Ball has already demonstrated that he has the capacity to reach that level.
Still, the disrespect Melo has been getting from the media should serve as another wake-up call for Charlotte to start putting out a winning team soon. Otherwise, it risks losing an All-NBA-level star in the near future.