Dennis Smith Jr. believes Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball is misunderstood
For whatever reason, the story surrounding the competition Charlotte Hornets Guard LaMelo Ball is that he doesn’t take the game seriously and doesn’t have the passion needed to play championship basketball in the NBA.
It could be the unique way he plays the game with all the flash and creativity, some of the aggressive three-point shots he makes, or the not-so-controlled defense on the ball that makes this story gain momentum.
But those on the outside don’t realize how much time LaMelo puts into the game and how important winning is to him. A former teammate of his, Dennis Smith Jr., recently stood up for Ball in an appearance on the Run Your Race podcast.
“Melo, that’s my dog over there. LaMelo, he’s one of those people, man. He is one of one. People don’t really understand Melo. For example, he does nothing but play basketball. Even if he played a game, he’s going to play 2K. All he does is play basketball. There have been times when I come to the gym late at night and he leaves… goes out, gets his shots, gets his work in. That’s definitely my buddy.’
Dennis Smith Jr. on LaMelo Ball:
“He’s unique. People don’t really understand Melo. Like, he doesn’t do anything but play basketball. Even when he plays a game, he goes and plays 2K.”
“There have been times when I come to the gym late at night and he leaves… goes there,… pic.twitter.com/cqhaJyCW2p
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) November 20, 2024
Ball is off to a red-hot start to the 2024-2025 season, averaging 28.4 points, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. If these numbers hold, he is on the cusp of making the All-Star game for the second time in his career.
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