They say you always remember the first one, but this is a night that LaMelo Ball will probably try to forget.
Ball, the 19-year-old chosen with choice number 3 in the 2020 draft, was considered goalless in his NBA debut on Wednesday night. He scored 0 out of 5 on the field and 0 out of 3 on 3 point attempts in 16 minutes off the bench. Ball also had three twists with three assists, two steals and a rebound in the Cavaliers’ 121-114 victory.
Two of Ball’s upsets and one of his steals came in the same sequence, which adequately summed up the rookie’s night in a single move.
In worse news for Charlotte, center Cody Zeller left the game in the third quarter with a fractured left hand. It is unclear how long he will be unconscious.
Hornets playmaker Terry Rozier led all scorers with 42 points from 15 of 23 shots, including a striking 10 to 16 on 3-point attempts. Cavaliers’ third-year guard, Collin Sexton, led Cleveland with 27 points from 9 of 16 on the field.
LaMelo’s long-awaited debut has similarities to that of his older brother. Lonzo Ball, chosen as the Lakers’ second choice in the 2017 draft, scored three points in 29 minutes in his NBA debut, making it 1-6 on the field. He also picked up nine rebounds with four assists, a steal and two turns.
Things improved dramatically for Lonzo in his second half, when he scored 29 points, with 11 rebounds and nine assists in victory against the Suns. LaMelo will have another chance when the Hornets face Thunder at home on Saturday.