Since being drafted third overall in 2020, LaMelo Ball He has emerged as one of the most exciting young guards in the NBA. And in the midst of another All-Star season, one former player compared the Hornets guard to a Hall of Famer.
After missing most of last season due to injury, Paul is preparing for his best season in the pros. He currently ranks fourth in scoring with 29.6 points per game while averaging 5.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists.
In the midst of his stellar play, LaMelo Ball leads all Eastern Conference backcourt players in All-Star voting. Gilbert Arenas defended voters on his podcast, noting that Paul deserves that much credit. He also stated that the Charlotte Hornets star is getting a lot of attention because he resembles Allen Iverson.
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After this bold take, ex Minnesota Timberwolves Guard Rashad McCants looked at Arenas.
“Allen Iverson was taking them to the playoffs,” McCants said. “Lamelo wasn’t doing what Allen Iverson was doing.”
To this day, Iverson is still viewed as one of the most iconic guards in NBA history. Despite his small size, he has emerged as a huge star for the Philadelphia 76ers. A former MVP, Iverson famously led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001.
As for McCants, he spent four years in the league after being drafted 14th overall by the Timberwolves in 2005.
LaMelo Ball beats out Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard in All-Star voting
We’re still about a month away from All-Star Weekend, and fan voting is still ongoing. In the latest results, LaMelo Ball is ahead of a pair of blue-chip players in the voting.
The Hornets goalkeeper remained the top goalkeeper in the Eastern Conference, receiving 1.9 million votes. Slightly behind him is the Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell (1.5 million) and Damian Lillard (1.2 million).
In terms of all players, LaMelo Ball is one of 10 players with at least 1.9 million fan votes or more. Others in this group include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wimpanyama, Nikola Jokic and LeBron James.
If Paul can stay on top, he has a good chance to be a starter in this year’s All-Star Game. Fan voting represents 50%, while the media and players provide the other 50%. Voting will continue for another week, as Inside the NBA’s starting players will be officially announced on January 23.
Ball is on pace to earn an All-Star nod for the second time in his young career. He was last named in 2022 in just his second year in the NBA.
Edited by Kevin McCormick
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