NBA Hall of Famer and former Lakers executive Magic Johnson had positive things to say about Hornets rookie guard LaMelo Ball on Thursday. Johnson made an appearance at the opening ceremony for the baseball team Gastonia Honey Hunters, a newly-formed team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Honey Hunters owner Brandon Bellamy is friends with Johnson, who partnered with Bellamy to provide food and drinks at the baseball park. Johnson threw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the club’s inaugural baseball game.
Prior to throwing out that first pitch, Johnson took to the mic where he spoke on many things, including current Hornets rookie guard LaMelo Ball, who he called a future MVP candidate.
Magic says LaMelo Ball can be an MVP candidate someday and loves how he makes his teammates better @wcnc #hornets pic.twitter.com/5CVgCiVdxi
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) May 27, 2021
Johnson has a unique relationship with the Ball family. One of his first roster decisions with the Lakers was drafting Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Reports indicate he may have preferred De’Aaron Fox to Ball but that hasn’t swayed how he’s felt about the eldest Ball brother.
