Charlotte Hornets’ LaMelo Ball named to 2022 NBA All-Star Game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Charlotte Hornets second-year star point guard LaMelo Ball has been named a 2022 NBA All-Star in replacement of Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, who will miss the game due to injury.

Ball, 20, becomes the first Hornets All-Star since Kemba Walker played in the game during the 2018-19 season, and is the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to be named an All-Star.

He was also chosen to play in the Clorox Rising Stars game this All-Star Weekend.

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Selected third-overall by Charlotte in the 2020 draft, Ball was named Rookie of the Year last year and is averaging 19.6 points, 7.5 assists, 7.1 rebounds and 1.47 steals in 47 games this season.

He is one of five NBA players averaging at least 19.0 points, 7.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds this year.

In January, Ball became the second-youngest player in NBA history post five career triple-doubles. He scored a career-high 38 points against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 2.

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Ball joins Walker, Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Glen Rice, Eddie Jones, Baron Davis and Gerald Wallace as the only players in franchise history to be named an All-Star. Johnson and Mourning were the only other players to earn the honor in their second season.

Last Thursday, Ball and his teammate, forward Miles Bridges were viewed as All-Star snubs when the league announced its reserves for each conference. With Durant voted in as a starter, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum will now start in the game and Ball will be listed as a reserve.

Leading All-Star vote-getters LeBron James and Kevin Durant will serve as captains of the game and will select starters and reserves in a draft format. The game will take place on Feb. 20 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland at 8 p.m. on TNT.