LaMelo Ball Is 'Jason Kidd, Penny Hardaway In One Package,' Says Hornets Legend

Muggsy Bogues compares LaMelo Ball to two of the greatest basketball players of all time.

The Hornets have housed an array of notable point guards in the past decades, but at present, the team got Ball. He has become a strong candidate for this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year.

In a recent talk with Fox Sports Radio’s “Straight Fire,” former Hornets point guard Bogues shared his thoughts on Ball’s young career and broke down the youngster’s game.

According to Bogues, Ball’s court proficiency was “boosted” by his professional experience overseas and it definitely reflects in the NBA.

As for game, the NBA’s shortest player of all time thinks Ball is combination of a prime Jason Kidd and Anfernee Hardaway.

“I’m not surprised,” Bogues said of Ball’s rise to stardom. “He’s gonna have his ups and downs continuously being a rookie, but he got the opportunity to play against professionals last year as a youngster overseas. Having that experience, having that understanding, boosted his ego.”

“I think he relished at the moment, he sees the game from a point guard perspective,” he added. “He’s able to understand where his teammates want the basketball and how they can be successful with it and at the same time being able to create opportunities for himself. I kind of compare him to a little Jason Kidd and Penny Hardaway in one package. The vision with J-Kidd, the height and scoring ability with Penny.”

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is another former NBA point guard who also recently weighed in on Ball’s future in the sport.

Based on Kerr’s assessment, the former Illawarra Hawks star already got the skills way before he was drafted by the Hornets and it keeps on improving as time goes by.

“I think that was the one thing that you could for sure identify in the pre-draft process was that he was a great passer and had tremendous feel for the game and that’s what made him such an exciting prospect,” Kerr said of Ball after ahead of Warriors vs. Hornets game last week. “I think his shooting has proven to be much better than a lot of people anticipated. He just looks much more solid fundamentally than when he did when he was in Australia last year.”

“And then I think the big thing is just the energy that he brings to the game, you can tell people like playing with him and he’s fearless out there,” the coach continued. “He loves to play. He really is, not solely responsible, but a huge part of them building this identity that they’ve built already. He’s going to be a great player if he’s not already.”