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LaMelo Ball given dubious title once held by Tyrese Haliburton, he needs to stay healthy to shed it

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 5:00 PM ET

In a preseason list published by Bleacher Report, LaMelo Ball stole the title of the NBA’s most overrated player from Tyrese Haliburton.

Last season, right before his magical playoff run, Tyrese Haliburton was named the most overrated player in the NBA by his fellow stars. He quickly silenced his detractors, leading the Pacers to just their second Finals appearance.

Even without his Achilles injury, which will keep him out all season and out of the running to win the “award” again this season, Haliburton has quickly proven that he is among the NBA’s elite.

Fellow point guard LaMelo Ball, on the other hand, has all the talent in the world but is yet to put it together, despite an All-Star nod to his name. As a result, he is the preseason winner of the “most overrated” title.

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LaMelo Ball named “most overrated” player in the NBA

With Haliburton having firmly cemented himself as one of the best players in the NBA, the league quickly began searching for the next player to wear the crown. Of the 19 players in The Athletic’s initial list, Ball did not appear.

However, after a third injury-riddled season in a row, Ball now has to prove any doubters wrong, and in a recent article published by Bleacher Report, he took the cake.

“While he can (and often does) overstuff a stat sheet, though, it all looks like there’s way more sizzle than actual substance,” wrote Zach Buckley.

“Since his ingenious passes are often interspersed with careless mistakes, there’s never been this cavernous gap between his averages in assists (7.4 for his career) and turnovers (3.3). He’s also on a three-year run of delivering negative defensive box plus/minuses.”

While Ball has long been a social media darling, his Charlotte Hornets are 143-257, and the Hornets are a lowly .423 when he plays. He has never made the playoffs and has developed a reputation as a good player on a bad team, although signs point to someone else being the one to save the Hornets.

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How LaMelo Ball can fix his reputation

Simply put, Ball needs to play more. While he can rightfully be chastised for the Hornets’ lack of winning, that’s not entirely his fault. Brandon Miller has also struggled to play, and lottery pick Tidjane Salaun is yet to find NBA success.

As the face of the franchise, Ball should be held more responsible than his teammates, but reversing decades of losing culture is a massive task.

The biggest fault has been his lack of availability. In five NBA seasons, he has played in over 55 games only once.

“Over the past three seasons, he has suited up in just 105 of a possible 246 games,” Buckley pointed out. “For context, that’s 24 fewer appearances than Zion Williamson, perhaps the league’s poster child for injury-prone stars.”

If Ball continues to be a good, albeit sparsely used player, on a bad team, he won’t do much to help his newfound status.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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