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NBA Prospect Sends Hornets Clear LaMelo Ball Message Ahead of Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dave Ettinger | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 12:40 AM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching. Even with the NBA Finals still hanging in the balance, the association's attention will soon shift to the league's prospects looking to become the next wave of NBA superstars.

With the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA Draft Lottery, there is a wide-ranging expectation the Mavericks will select Duke University's freshman phenom, Cooper Flagg, with the No. 1 overall pick.

Immediately following the Mavericks in the draft are the San Antonio Spurs (No. 2), the Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3), and the Charlotte Hornets (No. 4).

With each of the draft's lottery teams still putting top prospects through workouts, teams continue to compile information, whether from tape, the Draft Combine, or these individual workouts.

With this process, comes speculation, conversation, and drama. The latter, has taken center stage for the Hornets, and it involves their current star player, LaMelo Ball.

Per Mike Lacett, anchor, reporter for Carolina Sports Live, one of the projected draft lottery prospects, refused to workout for the Hornets, citing a desire to not play with Ball as the reason.

One draft lottery prospect reportedly refused to work out with the Hornets because he didn’t want to play with LaMelo Ball, per @mikelacett pic.twitter.com/g38BNB1QiN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 19, 2025

The report does not state which prospect sent this clear message to the Hornets regarding Ball, but that hasn't stopped the basketball world from speculating.

The top prospects after Flagg, consist of Dylan Harper (Rutgers), VJ Edgecomb (Baylor), Airious "Ace" Bailey (Rutgers), Tre Johnson (Texas), and Kon Knueppel (Duke).

While there are no official answers on which prospect made the refusal, Bailey is reportedly the only lottery prospect yet to conduct a workout.

His first workout is scheduled for later this week with the 76ers.

As for Ball, injuries have been the primary roadblock in his young, five-year career. Ball has played in just 231 of a possible 400 games.

The 2025 NBA Draft will get under way on Wednesday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, when the drama will in theory be put to rest.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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