A halftime conversation between Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball and Brooklyn Nets fan Jay-Z has the basketball world buzzing on social media.
The Hornets beat the Nets, 111-95, spoiling the home opener for Brooklyn. Ball, last year’s Rookie of the Year, had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win.
Ball had an interesting halftime conversation with Jay-Z, as well.
Bally Sports shared video on social media.
LaMelo Ball x Jay Z
Real recognize real 🤝 pic.twitter.com/bVCa4o6MXi
— Swarm and Sting (@SwarmnSting) October 24, 2021
NBA lip readers have attempted to figure out what was said. Perhaps it went something like this:
Jay-Z: You should play in New York.
Ball: Nah, I’m in Charlotte.
Jay-Z: Oh you wanna stay there forever?
Ball: **Nods head**
LaMelo: *shakes head “nah I’m in Charlotte”
Jay Z: “oh you wanna stay there forever”
Lamelo: *nods head
— Israel (@iohandles) October 24, 2021
Maybe that’s not what was actually said, but LaMelo has made it clear that he wants to stay in Charlotte for his entire career. Of course, pretty much every NBA player has said that about the team that drafted them. And many of them eventually end up elsewhere.
However, for now, LaMelo has made it clear he wants to stick around for the long haul.
“I feel like I still kind of got that mentality that they had back in the day. Even with the switching teams and stuff, they never used to do that. You go to one team, you stay there,” Ball told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “You supposed to just go to a team and build from there—I feel like that’s how it should be. Especially when you like a high pick too, most likely going to a team that wasn’t as good, so you try to make them better. I feel like that’s the whole process right there.”
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