It was not that long ago that LaMelo Ball was viewed as a top NBA prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. However, five years later, his reputation appears to have fallen among the current crop of future NBA players. Despite putting up impressive stats through the first five years of his career, LaMelo Ball has failed to help the Charlotte Hornets get to the playoffs.
As a result, the Hornets have the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA draft. With the draft set to begin on Wednesday, rumors are starting to come out about which players are going to which teams.
Since the Hornets have a high draft pick, there is a lot of speculation about which player they will select. However, on Wednesday, a report from NBA Central on X indicated that one draft lottery prospect refused to work out with the Hornets because he did not want to play with LaMelo Ball.
One draft lottery prospect reportedly refused to work out with the Hornets because he didn’t want to play with LaMelo Ball, per @mikelacett pic.twitter.com/g38BNB1QiN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 19, 2025
This led to a fans speculating wildy in the comments.
“Wow , because he is so ball dominant?” one fan wrote.
“Why wouldn’t the prospect just go, do a full-effort workout, and then emphasize to management and coaching staff in person that they don’t want to play beside Melo? That way the org can make a decision about whether to move Ball or not,” one fan commented.
“He’s more than likely a guard that doesn’t want to compete for his spot,” one fan added.
Fans continued to react in the comments.
“This could just be a PG who wants to start right away tbh,” one fan wrote.
“Can’t blame him, LaMelo passes the ball so fast it might bruise the ego,” one fan commented.
“The hornets are a loser organization. I wouldn’t want to get drafted to them,” one fan added.
LaMelo Ball Might Be Traded at or Before the 2025 NBA Draft
While there is one NBA prospect who does not want to play with LaMelo Ball in Charlotte, that might not be an issue much longer. There have been rumors swirling for several weeks that LaMelo Ball could be traded at or before the draft. Despite his strong play, he has not been able to get the Hornets over the hump in five seasons, and both the player and team might be looking for a change.
In an article looking at an ambitious trade target for each NBA team published by Bleacher Report on June 11, the Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers were named as possible destinations for Ball. Both teams could use an offensive boost, and adding Ball would certainly help with that.
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