The pressure on LaMelo Ball has never been higher

The pressure has always been on LaMelo Ball.

When Ball in the Family, a 2017 Facebook Watch show, premiered, LaMelo Ball had just turned 16 years old. 

By 2017, the Ball family had started to enter the public eye. The oldest in the family, Lonzo, was a rising star at UCLA and had just been selected by the Los Angeles Lakers. The middle child, LiAngelo, was set to continue the Ball family’s legacy at UCLA. Then there is the youngest, LaMelo, a viral sensation at Chino Hills, who in only a few short months would score 92 points in a single game.

Of course, the patriarch of the family, LaVar Ball, was the bold and outspoken father, coach, and brand ambassador who, a few months prior, told USA Today, “Back in my heyday, I would kill Michael Jordan one-on-one.’’

The basketball world was paying attention, and a spotlight had begun to shine on the youngest Ball. Every highlight, lowlight, and controversial comment from his confident father was now under a microscope.

As LaMelo’s oldest brother was disappointed with the hometown Lakers, and the second oldest was unable to make it to the league, doubt started to creep up on the talent of the youngest in the family.

All of a sudden, all eyes were on LaMelo to carry the family legacy.

LaMelo’s on-court style is something that is near-impossible to ignore. Blink and you miss it. Ball has thrown a full-court alley-oop to the center, posted on countless social media pages in the course of five minutes. Or has taken a step back, one-legged three from half-court. Or put the ball between the defender’s legs, before throwing a ball off the backboard for his teammate to dunk. 

His off-court style is just as mesmerizing as his on-court play: laid back, yet captivating. Someone who has the ability to draw the attention of an entire fanbase without doing, well, anything.

Fans either love him or believe he should not be anywhere close to the league, and it’s been like that for nearly a decade.

In June of 2019, shortly after his brother was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, Ball signed with the Illawarra Hawks in the Australian National Basketball League. Unlike college, it was a chance for the NBA prospect to get experience against grown men, in a league that was faster, professional, and financially viable. 

After averaging 17 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, LaMelo was selected third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets.

It’s now October 2025. Lonzo is on his fourth team. LiAngelo has pursued a career of music, LaVar has taken a step back from the national spotlight…

…And LaMelo is still in Charlotte.

And the pressure has never been higher.

In his first two years in the NBA, Ball won Rookie of the Year and made an All-Star appearance. Since then, well, it’s not been great in Charlotte.

Wrist injuries, ankle sprains, and several other setbacks have caused LaMelo to play less than 50 games in each of the last three seasons. His points per game (25.2) are the only stat that has not regressed over the past three seasons, and NBA fans are beginning to believe that Ball’s style of play, the deep threes, flashy assists, below below-average defense, cannot translate to winning basketball.

That noise has not affected the Hornets organization.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am for him this season,” Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson stated prior to the beginning of training camp. Peterson has only worked with Ball for a little over a year and was not the man who selected Ball or gave him the largest contract in Hornets history (5 years, $260 million).

“I just live my life and try to be the best me I can be,” said Ball in response to managing outside expectations while also balancing his own. “That’s being a leader, that’s showing up every day, trying to get as [many] wins as we could, so that’s what I’m gonna do.”

 While pressure continues to grow on the Hornets guard to succeed in his on-court play, questions on his leadership pile up. The Hornets reportedly wanted LaMelo to take a leap in his leadership abilities, and his second-year head coach offered insight.

“The thing that [LaMelo] has shown me during my time here now is that he wants to lead even when he’s not on the court,” Head Coach Charles Lee said. “I think that his leadership expands to when he’s on the court and then off the court, and I look forward to this year him taking another step in his leadership.”

The 2025-26 season marks arguably the biggest of Ball’s young career. He’s been involved in constant trade rumors for the last three years, with his father even coming out and wishing the Los Angeles Clippers would deal for his son.

The Hornets organization has been unable to win with Ball as the face of their franchise. It’s what has led to the questions of whether or not his style of play could translate into winning basketball, yet his nagging injuries and lack of talent around him have been the real reason there has been a lack of winning in Charlotte.

As a simple example, the 2022-23 Hornets roster, a team that went 26-56 and just barely missed out on landing a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Draft, rostered 19 players throughout the year.

Only two remain from that roster: Ball, and Mason Plumlee, who the team signed in free agency in July.

Of the 2023-24 roster, only four players remain: Ball, Brandon Miller, Tre Mann, and Grant Williams. 

All of them suffered season-ending injuries between November and March last season.

Last season saw a new coaching staff, new ownership, and a new front office. All three are in the process of putting together a championship-level team, and they want LaMelo Ball at the forefront.

While the pressure still continues to grow, and the scrutiny about his playstyle continues, LaMelo will not let the noise affect him. If he can stay healthy, the Hornets can make their first postseason appearance since LaMelo was only 14 years old.

Just remember:

The pressure has always been on LaMelo Ball.