LaMelo Ball is putting up some massive numbers this season. As the leader of the Charlotte Hornets, LaMelo has the rock in his hands more than anyone else and is expected to score the most for the Hornets. So much so, that he is doing the most for the Hornets, and is taking the most shots per minute in the NBA since Wilt Chamberlain.
You can read the list of players with the most shots per minute below:
1. Wilt Chamberlain (1961-62): 0.814
2. Elgin Baylor (1961-62): 0.746
3. Wilt Chamberlain (1964-65): 0.731
4. Wilt Chamberlain (1962-63): 0.728
5. LaMelo Ball (2024-25): 0.727
6. Michael Jordan (1985-86): 0.727
Ball isn’t just taking the most shots per minute since Wilt Chamberlain but is also tying Michael Jordan from his sophomore season for the statistic. It is a truly incredible statistic, showing just how much Ball is being asked to do for the Hornets, as he is by far the best player on the Hornets.
Ball leads the NBA for the highest usage rate by any player (minimum 500 minutes played this season) with 38.7%. With this usage rate, he is putting up strong numbers, averaging 29.9 points, 7.3 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.2 blocks while shooting 42.3% from the field, 34.2% from deep, and 83.1% from the free-throw line.
To compare him to players on the list, Wilt Chamberlain in 1964-65 was a freak of nature, putting in 34.7 points, 22.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 51.0% from the field, and 46.4% from the free-throw line (steals, blocks, usage rate, and three-point percentage were not recorded during this time).
While Michael Jordan in the 1985-86 season had a usage rate of 38.5%, while averaging 22.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field, 16.7% from the three-point line, and 84.0% from the free-throw line.
The fact that Ball is being mentioned in the same breath, even with regards to his usage, as players like Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain show just how much he is being asked to do by the Charlotte Hornets. But while he is doing well, his usage rate and shots-per-minute clip show just how weak the rest of the Hornets are.
LaMelo Ball Putting Up All-Star Numbers
LaMelo Ball is sure to earn an All-Star nomination this season. With his 29.9 points per game, he is one of the top scorers in the league. But because he has missed so many games, he doesn’t rank on the top of the list for players with the highest points per game this season.
With these numbers, an All-Star nomination makes sense, especially since there is no minimum game threshold for players to earn a spot on the team. This would be his second All-Star nomination, after earning his first in 2022.
The past few years have been a struggle, as he has played on an abysmal Hornets team and struggled with injuries. Perhaps his return and ability to play consistently will allow him to take the long-awaited leap that other players from his draft class have done.
Ball, who won Rookie of the Year in 2021, has fallen behind players like Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Tyrese Maxey, who were all in the same draft class. It is time he joins them as a rising star again.
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