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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been battling an ankle injury to begin the season. After missing the first 13 games of the season with the ankle injury, Ball finally made his season debut on Saturday. In his third game back, however, he re-aggrevated the injury. Ball's play over his first two seasons, however, has drawn comparisons to Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd.
Following his rookie season, an NBA scout made the comparison to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, stating:
"LaMelo is a star. He’s Jason Kidd, with a better jump shot. He’s among the best passers in the NBA already. He showed leadership last season that I didn’t expect from him. You saw the way that team fell apart when he went out. He has a chance to be an All-Star this season. He’s going to have to adapt to being at the top of every scouting report, but there is great talent there."
As the scout predicted, LaMelo Ball wound up making the All-Star team in his second season in the NBA. The Charlotte Hornets guard averaged 20.1 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game, 7.6 assists per game, 1.6 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game in his second season. Additionally, the 2020-2021 Rookie of the Year shot 42.9% from the field, 38.9% from three-point range and 87.2% from the free-throw line.
Check out LaMelo Ball's highlights below:
Can LaMelo Ball live up to Jason Kidd comparisons?
While Ball has gotten off to a strong start to his career, he still has a long way to go before he lives up to being labeled 'Jason Kidd with a better jump shot'. While Jason Kidd didn't develop a strong jump shot until his latter years and never averaged 20.0 points per game, he is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.
In his 19-year career, the 1994-1995 Rookie of the Year was named to ten All-Star teams, nine All-Defensive teams, and six All-NBA teams, while winning the 2010-2011 NBA championship. Additionally, Kidd led the league in assists five different times. Kidd is ranked second all-time in assists and steals, and fourth in triple-doubles. His efforts made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer, as well as, earning him a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
Although LaMelo Ball has had a fantastic start to his career, it is far too early to label him as 'Jason Kidd with a better jump shot'. This is no knock on Ball's talent, but simply a testament to Kidd's combination of talent and longevity.
Watch Jason Kidd's career highlights below:
