3 reasons LaMelo Ball should win Rookie of the Year

2. Impact on winning

Ball isn’t just a good player lighting it up for a bad team. He’s been a critical piece on a team fighting for the playoffs.

The Hornets went 10-12 without Ball in the lineup. Had he been available, they might be higher than the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference right now.

The advanced stats bear it out. Ball’s Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) is 1.4, which ranks second on his team. Compare that to Anthony Edwards, whose VORP is -0.5. That’s not a slight on Edwards, whose candidacy for Rookie of the Year is absolutely valid. It’s a credit to Ball instead. He’s been invaluable to a surprisingly good and fun NBA team.

In fact, Ball is one of just two 19-year-olds in the league this year with a positive VORP, and he’s a full point ahead of Isaiah Stewart, who joins him in that category. Only Stewart has a higher number of win shares in that group than Ball.

The Charlotte rookie leads his team with 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He’s also third on the team with 16.0 points per game. His Player Efficiency Rating (18.1) is third as well.

There’s no room to pad those stats with the Hornets battling for postseason position. He might have a better supporting cast than other rookies, but he’s made his teammates better in turn.