In a league full of supremely talented players, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young and Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball have the potential to do what few others can.
Young, the face of the Hawks, has the chance to lead their franchise to a championship for since 1958. Their 66-year championship drought is the second-longest in the league, only behind the Sacramento Kings (73 years). Ball, the face of the Hornets, had the opportunity to deliver his franchise’s first NBA title. With all but 10 teams having won an NBA championship, he’s in rather unique position as well.
The only problem is that both have had to learn how to play winning basketball. Though that’s a term that shape-shifts depending on the speaker, it suffices to say that both Young and Ball have habits to clean up. Young, who was drafted two years ahead of Ball, is further along in development. In fact, a huge factor in why the Hawks are currently in playoff contention is his change of approach. For comparison, the Hornets are just 13th in the East but could be much better if Ball was sharper.
That being said, Ball needs to take a page out of Young’s book, playing a more mature game in order for his team to be worthy of a postseason appearance.
LaMelo Ball Needs To Take Page Out Of Trae Young’s Book
It’s ironic how, despite a six-inch height difference, Young (6’,1”) and Ball (6’,7”) have a similar style, skillset, and tendencies. Immensely talented ball-handlers with a scoring mentality, they’re threats to score from anywhere and just about any way.
That is not an exaggeration.
Perhaps it’s that very same ability that works against them, as their inefficiency is a byproduct of their confidence. Stay with me here — the shots that they take are ones that they believe they can make because they believe they can make any shot. This and their deft dribbling lends itself to a style that’s more suited for the blacktop than the hardwood.
There’s no reason why Young should be a career 43.4 percent shooter from the field or 35.2 percent shooter from three. He’s a better shooter than that but his shot-selection has undermined his ability. Similarly, though Ball is a career 36.9 percent three-point shooter, he’s only make 42.6 percent of his field goal attempts overall. Like Young, he has better touch than his stats reflect but has hurdles to clear in terms of his decision-making.
How To: Make Teammates Better
Fortunately for both players, they’re elite distributors. Their ability to process the defense and make the right pass —even high-difficulty ones —has kept them among the NBA’s assist leaders since being drafted. However, while Young has figured out just how powerful his passing can be, Ball is still toying around. It’s this difference that separates the two, as Young has adopted an approach that’s led to him having the supporting cast he’s always hoped for.
With him sacrificing hero plays for teamwork, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and De’Andre Hunter are having career seasons. Even Garrison Mathews is having his best season in years. This has led to not just individual and collective success but great locker room energy.
As it relates to Ball and Hornets, the team isn’t lacking for chemistry. However, aside from Tre Mann, the players are that having career seasons are doing so because they’re filling in for injured teammates. Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges have been even less efficient than Ball has. Josh Green is averaging his fewest field goal attempts since his second season.
By leaning more into his playmaking, Ball could help unlock his teammates and the Hornets’ offense, which ranks 27th in points per game (106.5) despite him averaging a career-high 30.1 points per game (4th in the NBA). For comparison, Young is averaging 21.6 points per game, his lowest since his rookie season. Yet, the Hawks rank eighth in points per game (117.3).
Saving The Defense
His sacrifices shouldn’t stop at the offensive end.
Though he should still take care not to put himself in dangerous positions, Ball has to be willing to give more of his body on the defensive end. With his length, he has the potential to be a suffocating defender, even with his slight frame. That being said, while he can play hero ball when the Hornets’ offense needs it, he needs to put his cape on at the defensive end.
This is another area where Young has drastically improved. Though he’s not a lockdown defender by any means, his hustle is contagious and has altered his scouting report. He’s still regarded as the weak link of the defense but teams no longer can just assume it’ll be easy. With better physical tools than Young, the perception of Ball could be even better.
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