After coming off the bench for the first 20 games of his career, LaMelo Ball got his first start last week. On Monday, he dropped 24 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds against the Houston Rockets, draining seven threes from behind the arc.
He’s emerging as the best rookie in the class thus far. Over his first five starts, Ball has averaged 22.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game. He’s done this efficiently, shooting .514 from deep and .889 from the free-throw line.
Over this span, Ball has notched multiple games of 20 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds, joining LeBron James and Luka Doncic and the only players to do so at age 19 or younger according to Elias Sports.
Ball now leads all rookies in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, doubles-doubles, and triple-doubles. Although he’s been given some of the most opportunities out of any rookie in his class, LaMelo Ball has been taking advantage of his playing time.
After the Hornets defeated the Rockets, Ball earned a shoutout from Magic Johnson:
The leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, LaMelo Ball, had 24 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds in Charlotte’s 119-94 win over Houston! 🔥
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 9, 2021
