LaMelo Ball wins best breakthrough athlete award at ESPYs
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball added another piece of hardware to his trophy case on Saturday night as he was named the Best Breakthrough Athlete at the 2021 ESPYs.
Ball, 19, received the honor after his first season in the league in which he was named the NBA Rookie of The Year. The other nominees for the award included Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), Chase Young (Washington Football Team) and Crystal Dangerfield (Minnesota Lynx).
The ESPYs took place in New York City and Ball was in attendance to accept the award.
“I thought about a speech all day and all night and I forgot everything,” Ball said. “I can only think about my family and my momma right now. Thank y’all.”
Drafted third overall by the Hornets in 2020, Ball finished his rookie season averaging 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 51 games. He became the only player in the last 60 years to lead all rookies in total points, rebounds, steals and assists at the All-Star break.
He also became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double on Jan. 19.
LaMelo Ball
_(cropped).jpg) Ball with the Illawarra Hawks in 2019
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| No. 2 – Charlotte Hornets | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 22, 2001 Anaheim, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
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| NBA draft | 2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall |
| Selected by the Charlotte Hornets | |
| Playing career | 2018–present |
| Career history | |
| 2018 | Prienai |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Ballers |
| 2019–2020 | Illawarra Hawks |
| 2020–present | Charlotte Hornets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Stats  |
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| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
LaMelo LaFrance Ball (born August 22, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft.
Ball began high school at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California, where he won a state championship and achieved national success as a freshman with his older brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo. Before his junior season, a coaching dispute prompted him to leave Chino Hills and sign with Lithuanian professional team Prienai. In 2018, he played in the Junior Basketball Association (JBA), a league created by his father, before returning to high school as a senior with SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. A former UCLA commit, he was a five-star recruit but chose to forgo college basketball amid eligibility concerns and play in Australia for the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 2019, winning NBL Rookie of the Year. He was selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021.
Ball and his brothers have attracted national attention since playing together in high school. His father, LaVar, also grew into a media personality in 2017. Ball has a signature shoe by his father’s company, Big Baller Brand, and a role on his family’s Facebook Watch reality show Ball in the Family.
LaMelo Ball Named Best Breakthrough Athlete at 2021 ESPYs
July 10, 2021 – Today at the 2021 ESPYs, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball was named the Best Breakthrough Athlete following his rookie campaign, which also earned him the 2020-21 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. Other nominees for the award included, Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), Chase Young (Washington Football Team) and Crystal Dangerfield (Minnesota Lynx).
Ball, who was selected third overall by the Hornets in the 2020 NBA Draft, averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 28.8 minutes per game, appearing in 51 games (31 starts). Ball ranked 17th in assists and ninth in steals per game among league leaders in his first season as he became the only player in the last 60 years to lead all rookies in total points, rebounds, assists and steals at the All-Star break.
Ball is the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double after totaling 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists vs. Atlanta on Jan. 9 at 19 years and 140 days old.
LaMelo Ball wins ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete
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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has won an ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete.
Presenting… the BEST Breakthrough Athlete of 2021, @MELOD1P! https://t.co/lc3QEvrnfn | #ESPYS pic.twitter.com/QqabGMcUQ6
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) July 11, 2021
Ball’s ESPY fill fit nicely in his trophy case right next to the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy he was awarded last month.
Ball beat out NFL rookies Justin Herbert and Chase Young and 2020 WNBA Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield. He did so with a rookie season that was as electric as they come. He averaged 15.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game with plenty of dazzling highlights along the way. He was the youngest player NBA history to record a triple double, doing so at age 19 years and 140 days. In his tenth game as an NBA player, he tallied 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in a win over the Hawks.
One of the first to congratulate Ball on the achievement was one of Charlotte’s most famous non-athletes. It’s a Queen City thing.
It’s a Queen City thing.
(via @DaBabyDaBaby) pic.twitter.com/FzDPmG6m41
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) July 11, 2021
LaMelo Ball named Best Breakthrough Athlete at 2021 ESPY Awards
Ball becomes the 6th NBA player to win the award, joining LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Donovan Mitchell.
LaMelo Ball transformed the Hornets into a must-watch team, thanks to his tremendous court vision and passing abilities.
Less than a month after being named 2020-21 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball won an ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete on Saturday night in New York City.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Washington Football Team defensive lineman Chase Young and Minnesota Lynx guard Crystal Dangerfield were also nominated for the award. Herbert was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Young the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Dangerfield was named WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Ball, 19, said he had a speech prepared but forgot what he was going to say as he was getting rained on up on the stage to accept the award.
“I forgot everything,” he said. “I can only think about my family right now. And my momma.”
.@MELOD1P wins Best Breakthrough Athlete and may have had the best speech so far 😂 pic.twitter.com/ofOkyHtG6G
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
Previous winners of the award include Tiger Woods (1997), Tom Brady (2002) and LeBron James (2004).
Ball, who was selected third overall by the Hornets in the 2020 NBA Draft, averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 28.8 minutes per game, appearing in 51 games (31 starts). Ball ranked 17th in assists and ninth in steals per game among league leaders in his first season as he became the only player in the last 60 years to lead all rookies in total points, rebounds, assists and steals at the All-Star break.
