Many naysayers and doubters of LaMelo Ball have been forced to eat at least some crow during the first half of the regular season. Ball has not only proven to be a good rookie, he’s become a solid NBA player, a rare thing for any rookie this early in their career, let alone one that didn’t have a summer league or training camp.
This doesn’t only include fans but fellow NBA players as well. On his appearance on First Take on Wednesday, Draymond Green shared a story of his mother and LaMelo Ball.
“I must be completely honest. My mom and I talk basketball all the time. I hadn’t had a chance to see LaMelo play much. Obviously, he was in Australia. He was in high school and I’m not really one to follow a ton of high school kids unless I personally know or they’re going to Michigan State. So, I didn’t really see LaMelo play a lot and my mom would call me early in the year like ‘LaMelo’s good.’ And I’m like ‘Ah mom, he’s putting up stats but a lot of people put up stats but a lot of people put up stats. I’m not sure I believe the stats’ and I hadn’t really watched him play. And as I’ve watched him play, my goodness, I text my mom not long ago, I said ‘Mom, you were right .LaMelo’s a problem. He’s a problem, mom.'”
Along with Green’s story, he did recently tweet about Ball. As Ball was helping the Hornets to a memorable comeback with the Kings, Green tweeted his support of Ball.
Lamelo is a problem!
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) March 1, 2021
Having played Ball twice now, Green has seen firsthand Ball’s talent and game. In the First Take interview, Green dove into what about Ball’s game has led him to become a fan.
“I love his game. He’s super fast which I had no clue he’s fast and downhill like that. He’s extremely smart and he don’t even know how to play the NBA game yet. He’s just out there playing. He’s like a little kid in a candy store just out there having fun but he’s very smart. He can pass the ball with the best of them already and he’s 6’7″. He has incredible size. I think Charlotte, MJ got this one right. I think that kid is going to be a stud.”
During the latter of the two games between Ball’s Hornets and Green’s Warriors, the veteran was seen talking to the rookie late in the game and after the contest as well.
Green joins a growing list of teammates, fellow NBA players and coaches that have come away impressed with Ball during his rookie season.
