The Whiteboard: A healthy LaMelo Ball could be a problem for the rest of the NBA

Heading into the 2024-25 campaign, LaMelo Ball appeared in 58 out of 164 possible regular-season games over the past two seasons. To put it in layman's terms, that's not great. However, the Charlotte Hornets point guard looked healthy and spry in the team's opening night road win over the Houston Rockets.

Ball seemed reinvigorated against the Rockets, propelling the Hornets to victory with a monster performance. He scored 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting (sinking four of his 12 three-point attempts), adding 11 assists, eight rebounds a steal and a block. While his talent and on-court production have never been questioned, concerns about his recurring ankle issues and commitment to excellence linger. At least for one contest, the former Rookie of the Year alleviated those worries, but is it sustainable? Barring any physical setbacks, there's no reason to believe otherwise, and it may present problems for the rest of the Eastern Conference.

A healthy LaMelo Ball could be a problem for the rest of the NBA

Before getting shut down for the year last season, Ball was on an absolute tear. As a one-time All-Star and top-three draft pick in 2020, he has the pedigree to suggest his remarkable outing versus the Rockets wasn't a mirage. Thanks to a unique combination of size and skill set, the 23-year-old is a matchup nightmare for virtually any opponent.

Despite being listed at 6-foot-7, Ball is a true point guard. Few possess the passing ability and court vision he does, constantly putting his teammates in position to score. It's rare to see someone as big as him be a legitimate floor general, which he supplements with elite ball handling and creativity. Between being an elite facilitator and robust scorer, the Hornets franchise centerpiece can take over a game quickly.

With wildly deep range from beyond the arc and upper-echelon transition playmaking proficiency, Ball is difficult to contain. He forces defenses to cover every inch of the floor once he crosses halfcourt or can pick you apart with manufactured fastbreak opportunities. Having the versatility to beat you in various ways, it's a fun and electrifying play style to watch.

The most important factor in Ball's development is his newfound defensive approach. Whatever first-year head coach Charles Lee did over the summer to maximize his effort on that end of the floor worked in Houston. He's got incredible height and a 7-foot-1 wingspan, so the tools to be a two-way threat are there.

If Ball can continue to make his presence felt on both sides of the court, it will only bode well for Charlotte. No one expected the Hornets to compete for a playoff spot heading into the year, evidenced by their 27.5-game expected win total. Nonetheless, this trend becoming the norm could change that in short order.

For whatever reason, Ball's name gets lost in the shuffle when discussing the best point guards in the NBA. Perhaps it's because the Hornets have been a dumpster fire for much of his tenure. Or maybe his extensive injury history. Regardless, if the triumphant 18-point comeback in H-Town is any indication, he'll re-insert himself in that group and generate some heated debates. Yet, that was only Game 1 of 82, so let's see him do it regularly. Still, the signs are encouraging and noteworthy.

Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided's daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with someone you love! If you don't like The Whiteboard, share it with someone you loathe!

NBA news roundup:

• Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the league has officially begun investigating the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid for potentially violating the player participation policy. The superstar big man was held out of the preseason due to "left knee injury management." The issue has abruptly spilled over into the first week of the regular season, raising red flags.

• Dejounte Murray nearly recorded a triple-double in his New Orleans Pelicans debut, though it came at a cost. The standout combo guard reportedly suffered a fractured hand, which will sideline him for an "extended period of time." Talk about a crushing opening night blow.

• The Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Phoenix Suns for a thrilling regular-season opener, unveiling their new home arena, the Intuit Dome. While the visitors played spoiler, winning 116-113 in overtime, the atmosphere in Inglewood was exciting.

Meet the best young players in the NBA

A panel of our contributors ranked every player who is likely to play in the NBA this season, under the age of 25, on a scale from 1-10 based on how valuable we expect them to be during the 2024-25 season. The ranking criteria are purposefully a little bit vague so voters could define value for themselves, possibly including generating buzz and fan excitement, in addition to just production. We used Basketball-Reference's age parameters which means we only considered players who players who would still be 24 or younger on Feb. 1, 2025.

Check out the entire list here and find out who made the top spot!