LaMelo Ball delivers 18 points, 9 assists despite poor shooting in Wednesday's loss

LaMelo Ball posted 18 points (5-21 FG, 2-11 3Pt, 6-6 FT), seven rebounds, nine assists, and two steals in 27 minutes during Wednesday's 127-118 loss to Indiana. He struggled with efficiency against the Pacers, recording six turnovers and scoring 18 points on 21 shots, which may have factored into him not playing the final four minutes. The former All-Star's performance has been erratic since his return from a five-game absence due to an ankle injury, though he is expected to maintain heavy usage when available. A 24-year-old guard, Ball signed a five-year, $205.9 million contract extension with the Hornets in July of 2023. His 2025 season stats include averages of 22.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.1 blocks. Prior to his NBA career, Ball played professionally in Lithuania with Vytautas Prienu in 2017-18, averaging 6.5 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 rebounds in eight games. He also played for Illawarra in the Australian NBL, where he averaged 17.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.5 steals across 13 starts, notably achieving 32 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, and one steal in a win over Cairns. Ball did not attend college.