LaMelo Ball has made a name for himself with dazzling displays of passing and shot-making. On Monday, Ball put on a highlight that came in a resounding win over the defending champions.
A viral clip from the Charlotte Hornets-OKC Thunder game shows the one-time All-Star catching a pass thrown at an awkward angle to the left corner. Barely able to maintain his balance, Ball launched the shot, which sailed cleanly over the backboard and somehow found the bottom of the net.
LAMELO BALL NO WAY?!?!
Crazy shot. 🔥
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 6, 2026
LaMelo Ball’s circus shot got fans in a frenzy on social media.
“He’s still at Chino Hills in his head,” one fan tweeted.
“Bro his own cheat code. Game on autopilot for him,” another fan complimented.
“This s*** is genuinely outrageous,” another fan commented.
“HORSE final boss,” another fan chimed in.
Meanwhile, other netizens highlighted the fact that LaMelo Ball was taking it to the OKC Thunder, who had looked invincible for much of last year.
“LaMelo owning the Thunder lmao,” one netizen said.
“They whoopin the Thunders a**,” another netizen pointed out.
The awe-inspiring nature of LaMelo Ball’s shot was eclipsed only by the masterful performance of the Hornets on both ends of the floor. As Thunder fans looked on inside Paycom Center, the Hornets shot 53.2% from the field while limiting OKC to 36.6% in order to seal the 124-97 victory.
Ball finished with 16 points, two rebounds, and two assists while his younger backcourt partner Brandon Miller topscored for the Hornets with 28 points on a 50.0% shooting clip. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s defense limited reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 21 points on 7-for-21 FG shooting.
“Their Chemistry Is Getting Better Too”: Analyst Points Out Improved Dynamic Between LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel
Though the Hornets (13-23) are far from playoff contention at this point, glimpses of brilliance like their performance against the Thunder give Charlotte fans a reason to be hopeful this year.
Prior to the Hornets-Thunder matchup, Fred Katz of The Athletic pointed out another positive development involving Ball.
“Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball‘s chemistry is getting better…LaMelo has created a lot of threes for Knueppel out of those plays. He finds him in transition. They’re on a better page,” Katz said on a recent episode of “The Zach Lowe Show.”
Against the Thunder on Monday night, Knueppel scored 23 points on 5-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Knueppel’s brilliance from deep and Ball’s steady play were driving forces behind this huge road win in Oklahoma City.
