By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A massive reward for LaMelo Ball after three productive campaigns with the Charlotte Hornets.
Ball, 21, is finalizing a five-year maximum contract extension worth up to 260 million dollars, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
With the NBA Free Agency naturally off to a hot start over the last 24 hours, Ball highlights the latest batch of reports with the projected rookie max extension.
Picking up an injury in his right ankle prematurely ended his 2022-23 efforts in late February. He ended up with 23.3 points, 8.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per contest over 36 appearances. Over three NBA campaigns with the Hornets, he has 19.4 points, 7.3 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game with a total of 162 games played in the league, all in the Regular Season with his side stuck to the wrong end of the Playoffs.
Despite having surgery in March, Ball is expected to be fully ready for the start of the 2023 NBA Preseason.
In the early days, he elected to turn pro in Lithuania and played for Prienai alongside his brother LiAngelo, rather than traditional routes to the NBA. He went on to the Los Angeles Ballers in a new league created by his father and to the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League based in Oceania, before being selected with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft by the Hornets.
Photo Credit: Getty Images