Hornets staff members ‘love’ LiAngelo Ball: ‘He can shoot it, great feel, knack for scoring’

One of many central storylines of the Las Vegas Summer season League this yr has been the play of LiAngelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets. Along with his two brothers, Lonzo and LaMelo, already well-established within the NBA, there’s loads of curiosity within the third Ball brother, and if he’ll be capable of make it within the league. Up to now, Ball seems to have made a constructive impression on the Hornets group and boosted his personal inventory within the course of, as Hornets workers members “love” Ball and his work ethic, in line with Jordan Schultz of ESPN. 

“Nice child. Love him,” Hornets lead assistant coach Jay Triano stated of Ball. “He was on the facility practising on daily basis for 2 months to play within the Summer season League. Exhibits a ton of character. He can shoot it, nice really feel, knack for scoring.”  

Ball dropped 16 factors in his first Summer season League sport with the Hornets, and he adopted that up with a 10-point efficiency within the second sport. He had eight factors in Charlotte’s third sport, and he matched that complete of their fourth contest in opposition to the Raptors on Saturday. In opposition to Toronto, Ball performed 17 minutes, and he knocked down three of his eight makes an attempt from the ground. Throughout that contest, he confirmed that he can join on long-range pictures in transition, like he did right here: 

He additionally demonstrated a capability to place the ball on the ground and end on the rim: 

Ball has made probably the most of his alternative with the Hornets, and whereas his promising play might have come as a shock to some, Ball himself is not a type of individuals. 

“I do know myself, I am an NBA participant,” Ball stated of his play, by way of the Los Angeles Times. “In my head, I can play within the NBA. I can play wherever for actual. I do not actually take into consideration how individuals take into consideration me, I simply do my very own factor.”

Sadly for Charlotte, Ball’s play in Vegas hasn’t been leading to wins, because the Hornets have dropped all 4 video games that they’ve performed to this point. They will play their ultimate sport of the summer time in opposition to the Chicago Bulls on Monday night time. As soon as the summer time slate is full, the query will change into if Ball did sufficient to parlay his play into an invitation to coaching camp in September — both with the Hornets or one other group. 

“I hope so.” Ball replied when requested if he thought that he had achieved sufficient to earn a roster spot subsequent season. “It is actually the coaches’ determination however I really feel I am prepared for whether or not the NBA, Summer season League, something, actually. They simply bought to inform me what to do after which I will be prepared.”

Given how he is performed, and the truth that his brother LaMelo is a foundational piece for the franchise, it would not be stunning in any respect if LiAngelo in the end does get a coaching camp invite from Charlotte.