LaMelo Ball averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.9 rebounds during the 2024-25 season. This season, his raw scoring numbers dipped slightly from last season. However, he has taken a step forward, not just individually, but as a leader of the most dramatic turnaround in the NBA. His efforts as a leader has helped the Hornets make the postseason and instilled more winning in the franchise. While the numbers hasn’t been what it was, Ball deserves more respect for what he done this season.
Ball’s All-NBA case is no longer a fringe discussion. It deserves to be taken seriously.
LaMelo Ball’s All-NBA Case: Is His 2025-26 Season Good Enough?
Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game this season, finishing second in the league in three-pointers made. On the surface, those numbers might not scream All-NBA to casual observers. Look deeper, and the case becomes far more compelling.
The Case For
Charlotte went from 11-22 at the turn of the New Year to finishing 44-38 and reaching the Play-In Tournament. That transformation did not happen by accident. It happened because Ball stayed healthy, found consistency, and elevated every player around him.
Over the last 15 games of the regular season, he averaged 22.7 points, 7.1 assists per game, and shot 37.8% from three. His ability to create for others is elite,. When he is on the floor, Charlotte operates as one of the most fluid, difficult-to-guard offenses in the league.
Furthermore, Ball finished second in the league in three-pointers made this season. His playmaking placed him among the league’s top playmakers, and his scoring efficiency improved meaningfully compared to previous seasons.
Most importantly, he played 72 games, a level of availability that has historically undermined his case. For the first time in years, the Hornets were able to rely on him consistently, and that stability translated directly into winning basketball.
Beyond the stats, Ball’s cultural and commercial impact on the Hornets cannot be ignored. He re-energized a franchise that had struggled for relevance. Spectrum Center was consistently electric in the second half of the season, and much of that energy traces directly back to what Ball generates on the court.
The Case Against
The competition for All-NBA spots at guard is brutal this season. Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic, and others all have strong cases. Ball’s 20.1 points per game, while respectable, do not dominate any major statistical category in a field loaded with elite guards.
His defensive effort remained inconsistent this season. Critics will also point to Charlotte’s slow start as evidence that Ball’s leadership ceiling has limits.
There is also the broader issue of context. Charlotte’s second-half brilliance was a team achievement. Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Coby White, and Moussa Diabate all played pivotal roles. Separating Ball’s individual contribution from a rising team tide is a legitimate challenge for voters.
The Last Word
Ball’s All-NBA case sits in a fascinating middle ground. He is not a lock, and he is not an easy omission either. If voters weigh team impact and the sheer transformation he helped drive in Charlotte, there is a legitimate Third Team argument. If they go purely on individual numbers in a vacuum, he likely misses out.
Either way, this season marks a genuine shift in how the league views Ball. He is no longer just a highlight machine. He is a genuine cornerstone, and if Charlotte builds around him this offseason, the All-NBA conversation next season will be far easier to make.
He may not make All-NBA this year. But for the first time in his career, the argument is real, and that changes everything.
Featured Image: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
