November 30, 2020 – Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the team has signed the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, LaMelo Ball. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 6-7 Ball played for the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League during the 2019-20 season, earning NBL Rookie of the Year honors. In 12 games played, he averaged 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game, ranking second in the league in assists and steals, eighth in rebounding and 17th in scoring. Ball became the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double when he tallied 32 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists against the Cairns Taipans. He then became the fourth player in NBL history and first since 2005 to record back-to-back triple-doubles when he tallied 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists vs. the New Zealand Breakers.
A native of Anaheim, California, Ball averaged 39.6 points, 14.6 rebounds and 11.5 assists in the Junior Basketball Association in 2018, winning a championship and earning All-Star honors in the league created by his father Lavar. In 2017-18, he left Chino Hills High School before the start of his junior season and played in eight games for Vytautas Prienai in Lithuania’s LKL, averaging 6.5 points and 2.4 assists.