LaMelephant: The LaMelo Ball Thread (#2)

LofJ · Post #141 » by **LofJ** » Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:04 pm

Some wholesome Hornets content showing off the new late 90's retro uniforms featuring LaMelo Ball and freaking Baron Davis:

Full video:

https://www.nba.com/hornets/videos/23-24-hornets-classic-uniform-unveil

Read on Twitter

Rich4114 · Post #142 » by **Rich4114** » Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:07 pm

This is one of the coolest things they've ever done tbh

Post #143 » by **luciano-davidwesley** » Wed Aug 23, 2023 10:06 pm

Awesome jerseys. They bring back memories of better times for us.

Rich4114 · Post #144 » by **Rich4114** » Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:08 pm

We won 50+ games in those jerseys; let's hope history can repeat itself

SWedd523 · Post #145 » by **SWedd523** » Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:24 pm

Rich4114 wrote:We won 50+ games in those jerseys; let's hope history can repeat itself

At first, I thought you were talking about the Bobcats jerseys from Miles' tweet

"this man done lost his damn mind"

Post #146 » by **yosemiteben** » Fri Aug 25, 2023 11:52 am

SWedd523 wrote:
Rich4114 wrote:We won 50+ games in those jerseys; let's hope history can repeat itself

At first, I thought you were talking about the Bobcats jerseys from Miles' tweet

"this man done lost his damn mind"

Me too, but I also assumed he meant we won 50 games total

Rich4114 · Post #147 » by **Rich4114** » Fri Aug 25, 2023 2:43 pm

yosemiteben wrote:
SWedd523 wrote:
Rich4114 wrote:We won 50+ games in those jerseys; let's hope history can repeat itself

At first, I thought you were talking about the Bobcats jerseys from Miles' tweet

"this man done lost his damn mind"

Me too, but I also assumed he meant we won 50 games total

Lmaoooo nooooo, the 96-97 and 97-98 Hornets (I think just the 97-98 Hornets wore the updated classics). Those teams won 51 and 54 games respectively. If not for the Bulls, I think the 97-98 team goes to the Finals.

LofJ · Post #148 » by **LofJ** » Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:20 pm

I love seeing Baron in Charlotte. Good vibes for an organization in dire need of it.

Read on Twitter

SWedd523 · Post #149 » by **SWedd523** » Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:50 pm

Maybe I'm crazy but it looks like Melo is finally putting on a little bit of weight.

Perhaps the season ender was good for him to get into an early rehab/strength(ening) program

LofJ · Post #150 » by **LofJ** » Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:42 pm

SWedd523 wrote:Maybe I'm crazy but it looks like Melo is finally putting on a little bit of weight.

Perhaps the season ender was good for him to get into an early rehab/strength(ening) program

I see it too, he's lost the gangly teenager body and gained some grown man definition.

Liver_Pooty · Post #151 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Sat Aug 26, 2023 3:15 am

Still a ways to go on the body. Good start though.

Rich4114 · Post #152 » by **Rich4114** » Sat Aug 26, 2023 8:28 pm

He’s got an entire bag of moves and tricks. He just needs to adjust to finish through NBA contact now. His tendency is to avoid the contact so when he gets fouled it doesn’t get called. He’s got to initiate it Jimmy Butler style and work those refs like the rest of the stars do. It’s stupid and not how professional basketball should work but it’s how they call it.

In all honesty if he was able to make that improvement, I think he’s close to 30ppg

LofJ · Post #153 » by **LofJ** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 3:05 pm

Baron has a lot of good things to say about LaMelo in this interview (it's a fun read):

Read on Twitter

SWedd523 · Post #154 » by **SWedd523** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 3:36 pm

I like to think Melo has All-NBA first team talent. His skillset is tailor made for the current NBA and he has the star power to be a perennial top 10-15 player in the league.

The next step for him is demonstrable dedication to himself and his game. Many folks have remarked on his happy-go-lucky approach being what holds him back and I think he needs to decide if he wants to have fun or be a true star.

I wonder if back-to-back injury seasons have "humbled" him to the point to where he gets serious about working on his body and the weaknesses in his game.

It's frustrating seeing him being just as, if not more talented than guys like Haliburton, Young, Fox, but not getting their level of hype

Trey24 · Post #155 » by **Trey24** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 4:47 pm

SWedd523 wrote:I like to think Melo has All-NBA first team talent. His skillset is tailor made for the current NBA and he has the star power to be a perennial top 10-15 player in the league.

The next step for him is demonstrable dedication to himself and his game. Many folks have remarked on his happy-go-lucky approach being what holds him back and I think he needs to decide if he wants to have fun or be a true star.

I wonder if back-to-back injury seasons have "humbled" him to the point to where he gets serious about working on his body and the weaknesses in his game.

It's frustrating seeing him being just as, if not more talented than guys like Haliburton, Young, Fox, but not getting their level of hype

Who cares about the Hype of Haliburton? He has not done a single thing on the floor better than Lamelo yet.

Lamelo is going to be a Superstar, its just destined to happen.

He just turned 22. This is a big season for him but let's not pretend like part of the reason he doesn't have the "hype" of some is due to (1) everyone doubting him coming into the league and wanting to be right and (2) he is in Charlotte.

We are lucky to have this guy and I can't wait to see what season 4 brings. I agree with you Swedd, Lamelo will make 1st team All-NBA at some point, heck he still has 3-4 years until he reaches his prime after this season

SWedd523 · Post #156 » by **SWedd523** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 5:25 pm

Trey24 wrote:
SWedd523 wrote:I like to think Melo has All-NBA first team talent. His skillset is tailor made for the current NBA and he has the star power to be a perennial top 10-15 player in the league.

The next step for him is demonstrable dedication to himself and his game. Many folks have remarked on his happy-go-lucky approach being what holds him back and I think he needs to decide if he wants to have fun or be a true star.

I wonder if back-to-back injury seasons have "humbled" him to the point to where he gets serious about working on his body and the weaknesses in his game.

It's frustrating seeing him being just as, if not more talented than guys like Haliburton, Young, Fox, but not getting their level of hype

Who cares about the Hype of Haliburton? He has not done a single thing on the floor better than Lamelo yet.

Lamelo should, because it plays heavily into ASG consideration and End of Year accolades whether anyone wants to admit it.

And by extension, those accolades play into his future earnings and potential HOF status.

Trey24 · Post #157 » by **Trey24** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 5:38 pm

SWedd523 wrote:
Trey24 wrote:
SWedd523 wrote:I like to think Melo has All-NBA first team talent. His skillset is tailor made for the current NBA and he has the star power to be a perennial top 10-15 player in the league.

The next step for him is demonstrable dedication to himself and his game. Many folks have remarked on his happy-go-lucky approach being what holds him back and I think he needs to decide if he wants to have fun or be a true star.

I wonder if back-to-back injury seasons have "humbled" him to the point to where he gets serious about working on his body and the weaknesses in his game.

It's frustrating seeing him being just as, if not more talented than guys like Haliburton, Young, Fox, but not getting their level of hype

Who cares about the Hype of Haliburton? He has not done a single thing on the floor better than Lamelo yet.

Lamelo should, because it plays heavily into ASG consideration and End of Year accolades whether anyone wants to admit it.

And by extension, those accolades play into his future earnings and potential HOF status.

Media and Casual fan narratives are two very different things. You are talking about the ROY of his class and 20 year old All Star..... If anything impacts his future earnings it will be on court production not what Casual fans think.

Not calling you a casual BTW I am more referring to the Haliburton being better stuff, which is something that casual fans have been saying all summer.

SWedd523 · Post #158 » by **SWedd523** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 5:47 pm

I have been on here multiple times complaining about the hype Haliburton gets vs Melo so I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at.

Media and casual fan narratives absolutely play into accolades. Just ask current MVP Joel Embiid.

All numbers considered equal, the guy the media and fans like or push will get those accolades. His money is secured for the next half decade, but he's playing against narrative to get on those All-Star and All-NBA teams. That's more of a legacy argument.

Trey24 · Post #159 » by **Trey24** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 5:55 pm

What I am saying is that the Media Narritave and the fan narrative you are referring to are two different things.

The latter being the one you are elevating above the former.

For All Star games, team record matters more than anything as well as all-nba accolades as well.

I am not concerned about this because when Lamelo is healthy he has proven to be capable of winning all of these accolades and I don't think the Media is doubting him like you say.

I am just saying who cares what casuals think, we know who Lamelo is and what he does and his play will prove it. Media narrative will come with winning and if we don't win it will be tough for him to get the accolades he deserves anyway

SWedd523 · Post #160 » by **SWedd523** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 6:06 pm

Trey24 wrote:What I am saying is that the Media Narritave and the fan narrative you are referring to are two different things.

The latter being the one you are elevating above the former.

How? The only thing the fans decide is ASG Staters.

The Media decides everything else, which is why I keep bringing it up.

I don't understand what you're trying to get at.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nbas-top-50-players-in-2022-23-season-giannis-jokic-luka-battle-for-no-1-lebron-slips-out-of-top-10/

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Just a couple examples, but you can clearly see the public narrative (both media and "casuals") is Melo being held is lower regard. I'm not making any statement whatsoever about his production.