Coming into his first NBA season, large expectations have been placed upon LaMelo Ball. He was picked third overall by the Charlotte Hornets and in the eyes of many, he was easily the most talented player in the NBA draft. With his famous father LaVar by his side, it's clear that Melo will have a lot of pressure this season although it appears as though he is more than ready for that challenge.
Last night, Melo participated in his first-ever NBA preseason game and he made a massive first impression. While he didn't score any points, Melo was able to get 10 rebounds and four assists. Many of those assists were gorgeous passes as seen in the clips below. At one point, Melo flicks the ball behind his back as if it was nothing. On another pass, Ball launched the ball down the court like a quarterback.
https://twitter.com/_/status/1337942746292633602
https://twitter.com/_/status/1337936052334469121
These plays were just a sample of what Ball can do this season and while it was just a preseason game, there is certainly good reason to be excited about LaMelo's ceiling. He is already displaying confidence which is the first step in becoming a star player in the NBA.
As you can imagine, NBA Twitter was quite impressed with LaMelo, and they had a lot to say about what he was able to accomplish out on the floor. You can see some of these reactions, below.
https://twitter.com/_/status/1337921124336852992
https://twitter.com/_/status/1338113734343012353
https://twitter.com/_/status/1338044100755546114
https://twitter.com/_/status/1338065894359097344
https://twitter.com/_/status/1337991469651677186
https://twitter.com/_/status/1337987732992262144
https://twitter.com/_/status/1338031915551645697
