LaMelo Ball made his All-Star debut on Sunday night, and he made the most of it.
Team LeBron edged Team Durant, 163-160, on a game-winning fadeaway jumper by LeBron James, along with All-Star Game’s MVP Steph Curry, who dropped 50 points.
In his first All-Star Game, LaMelo finished with 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
What really stood out for LaMelo’s first All-Star appearance was his minutes. Being an injury replacement, those guys typically don’t get a lot of run in the big game on Sunday. But, for LaMelo it was different.
Ball played just over 22 minutes, fourth-most on Team Durant. In crunch time, who was on the floor? LaMelo. That’s when you expect to see all the veterans and top dogs of the league battling it out for the win and the All-Star Game MVP, and Ball was right in the thick of things.
The All-Star Game is built for a player like LaMelo, who exudes a confidence and charm combined with highlight plays that few obtain. Sunday should make the first of many All-Star appearances for Ball.
Check out LaMelo’s highlights from his All-Star debut below.
