Feb 20, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

4 biggest concerns for LaMelo Ball heading into 2025-26

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 9:20 AM ET

There are always questions facing LaMelo Ball. Can he win games? Is he just an inefficient shot-chucker? Can he stay healthy? Is he a serious basketball player? Some of them are warranted, while others are unfair, but there are definitely some legitimate concerns ahead of the Charlotte Hornets guard's next season.

Can he stay healthy?

Health is going to be the preeminent problem facing LaMelo Ball until he can actually put together a full season, and even then, it's going to come with the caveat that he must do it over and over again. On the flip side, that would make five out of six NBA seasons with fewer than 75 games, and that probably forces Charlotte's hand to make a tough decision. Sure, some things are out of Ball's control, but if he rolls another ankle and misses weeks at a time, that's not going to cut it.

How will LaMelo Ball do with more help?

Ball has never really had a ton of help, and when he does have it, it often gets hurt (Brandon Miller and Mark Williams). This year, though, he should have a lot more help in the form of Collin Sexton, Miller, Kon Knueppel, and others. For the first time, he won't need to shoot every single time, so what's he going to do? His career has so far been largely defined by shooting a lot. Will he cut back now that he has better teammates, or is he really just a "shot-chucker?"

Can he improve defensively?

One would think there's nowhere to go but up for Ball on the defensive end, but that's not the case. His defensive rating was over 116 in 2024-25, which is a far cry from anything good. It was also not even close to his worst defensive rating, so he can actually perform worse on that level. No one expects him to be an All-NBA defender, but can he at least be more than a traffic cone?

Will turnovers bite LaMelo Ball?

In general, you take the good with the bad when it comes to Ball. He's going to have turnovers because he tries passes others wouldn't dare. Sometimes, it results in a brilliant highlight. Other times, it's an ugly turnover, which you live with for the highlights. However, there are still some lazy, unforced errors that crop up, and turnovers are never a good thing. Can Ball adjust his game to cut down on them or is that always going to be part of his calling card?