Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Troubling stat places Hornets star alongside Wizards-era Michael Jordan

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Colin Keane | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 10:10 AM ET

The jury is still out on Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, despite his obvious talent.

The central question that’s defined LaMelo — beyond his significant injury concerns — was best summed up last week by ESPN’s Zach Kram.

“It’s unclear if Ball is still a franchise player the Hornets should build around, or rather a ball-dominant entertainer who doesn't win games,” Kram wrote.

On one hand, Ball is but a few adjustments away from being a perennial All-Star. On the other hand, LaMelo’s flashy playing style easily attracts criticism when it’s put on display next to his lackluster defense and lack of team success.

Kram’s statement on LaMelo came at the end of a short write-up pointing to Ball’s high usage rate from 2024-25, a stat that turned ugly for Melo once Kram provided further context.

LaMelo Ball’s worrisome usage rate evokes Wizards Michael Jordan

“LaMelo Ball led the league with a 35.9% usage rate this past season, the 23rd-highest single-season mark ever,” Kram wrote.

“Typically, players with such heavy workloads are superstars putting up big numbers; 19 of the 22 players ahead of LaMelo made an All-NBA team in the season in question. (The exceptions are DeMarcus Cousins the season that he was traded from the Kings to the Pelicans, Jermaine O'Neal the season that he was suspended following the Malice at the Palace and Michael Jordan in his first Wizards season.)”

“But even if Ball had played enough games to qualify for All-NBA consideration, he wouldn't have come close,” Kram continued. “His PER was the worst for any player with a 35% usage rate in NBA history.”

Not a great look for LaMelo.

However, there’s more to the story.

What we still don't know about LaMelo

Ignoring the near-fact that a comparison to any era of DeMarcus Cousins isn’t a win, let’s backtrack on the idea that a LaMelo-Wizards MJ comp is a surefire negative.

Was Wizards Jordan really all that bad? Well, his defense was, which is a complaint also thrown in Melo’s direction. Offensively, though, Wizards MJ was very solid, and had he been surrounded by more talent, the GOAT may have had a shot at one more playoff run.

A similar argument can be made for LaMelo: how is he supposed to win without help?

This leads to another way of crafting the ultimate LaMelo question, which Charlotte Hornets On SI’s Zach Roberts executed on Sunday: “Is Ball an impactless player who can't help winning teams or is he the missing piece these squads need to take them over the top?”

We won’t truly know what kind of player Melo is until he’s on a better roster (and that can happen in Charlotte).

Less than a handful of players in NBA history were able to transcend a bad supporting cast and still dominate. Early Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James was one of them. Michael Jordan was another … not the Wizards version.

LaMelo isn't on that level (meaning, a top two player of all time!), nor has he solidified himself as an entertainer who doesn't win. There's still time to reverse that narrative.