LaMelo Ball was one of the most talked about prospects going into the 2020 NBA Draft and his performance over the weekend against the Orlando Magic could be a precursor of what’s to come when the NBA regular season starts Tuesday night (December 22).

The Hornets rookie had an incredible highlight reel of assists, something he was known for when he played overseas prior to being drafted third overall by Charlotte.

The first dynamic dime came in the second quarter when Ball drove through the lane before whipping a backward pass to Cody Zeller, who drained an open three-pointer.

Ball made a similar assist late in the fourth quarter on a fast break as well. This time, he looked very casual as he fed the ball through a tight opening to easily set up a layup.

Being a great ball distributor is why the Hornets drafted LaMelo Ball, however he has a lot of work to do when it comes to shooting, particularly from deep.

On Saturday against the Magic, he finished with just four points, shooting just 1-of-10 from the field and 0-of-4 from behind the three-point-line. Over the four preseason games he’s played in, Ball has shot only 11-of-42 and turned the ball over 14 times. 

The Hornets lost 117-120.

If LaMelo can improve his shooting and scoring and become more careful with the ball, he could be a force to be reckoned with in this league in the coming years.