Fans say LaMelo Ball is an All-Star, but NBA media isn't so sure: What both voters say about Hornets star

Ever since stepping foot in the league, LaMelo Ball has been one of the most popular players in the NBA. That's been reflected in All-Star starter voting this season, where he led all Eastern Conference guards in the fan vote.

Ball has traditionally performed well when it comes to that voting, finishing no worse than 9th in the fan and player vote among Eastern Conference guards over his last four seasons. But he hasn't come close to being named a starter due to poor showings in the media vote. The league sends 100 ballots out to those members every season. Ball has only earned a single vote from that group, all the way back in 2022. 

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The battle for Ball to be named an All-Star starter has always been an uphill climb, due to that disconnect between fans, players, and the media. Why is he so popular among two groups and an afterthought in the third?

I put the call out on social media, surveying over 30 fan voters and several anonymous media voters in order to figure out the answer. 

Why LaMelo Ball is adored by fans

Ball's popularity among fans isn't news. But what is surprising is where his fans come from. Many believe that they are all Gen Alpha kids who only watch the NBA through TikTok highlights. From the voters that I surveyed, the opposite was true.

Eighty-five percent of the voters I surveyed were in their 20's through 40's. Only 11.5 percent were under 20. Most of them (73 percent) were fans of LaMelo rather than strictly Hornets fans.

The wide age range of Ball's fans doesn't mean that he isn't extremely popular with youth.

"He's the first Gen Z superstar," as one voter noted, and he has a ton of young kids who adore him. But he also resonates with millennial parents who were more than willing to vote for him on the NBA's website and app.

"My kids really like him," said Anatoly Kvitnitsky, a LaMelo voter in his 30's. "I also coach AAU basketball and LaMelo's are probably the most popular shoes worn by kids." 

"It’s insane how many LaMelo jerseys and shoes you see in Charlotte," said Alex Krupa, another LaMelo voter in his 30's.

"He really connects with kids in a way no other young star does, and everyone seems to mock that, instead of trying to get to the bottom of what exactly that is," Krupa added.

Ball voters are much more serious observers of the NBA than they're given credit for.  Only 11.5 percent of respondents consume the league through social media clips, while 73 percent of them watch full Hornets games. Overwhelmingly (77 percent), they have been NBA fans for over 10 years. They are well-educated about the state of the league. 

"[LaMelo] has the highest scoring average of any guard in the Eastern Conference this year by a fairly large margin," said Jim Miloch, another fan voter in his 30's. "His FG% and 3P% leaves a lot to be desired, but so did high-volume scorers in the past like Iverson, Harden, and Westbrook."

The love for LaMelo goes far, far beyond numbers. The joy and creativity that he plays with are the primary reason why he draws so many in.

Most respondents expressed some variation of the same theme, describing him as playing "unscripted basketball," noting that "anything can happen" when he has the ball, and that he's "always happy playing basketball. It's nice to see players enjoying themselves on the court." 

Leaders in one-legged 3PA this season. pic.twitter.com/VwpOcCDJT5

Many voters expressed that LaMelo's game is perfectly suited to the All-Star format, which is "usually boring." There were several comparisons to the AND1 basketball league from two decades ago. Enthusiastic announcer Eric Collins was credited with adding another level of flair to his games.

"He brings that carefree, relaxed vibe that’s inherent to HS bball (and what so many of us associate with PLAYING basketball) to a very professional league," said one voter. "Even his bad games are fun and creative," added another.

"You will see him do something new and different every game. He brings individuality to a league filled with nothing but the same sets every game."

The Hornets are one of the league's bottom-feeders, and that has been used to discount Ball's accomplishments. His voters argue that his All-Star candidacy is even stronger based on the talent that he's working with. 

"Without LaMelo, Hornets would have absolutely no hope in winning any games. Casual fans who say LaMelo doesn't deserve to be a all star starter need to watch a full game of him," one voter said.

"I watch him have to solve difficult defenses every night with next to no secondary playmaking," added another. "He has to always break the defense down off the dribble, always create his own shot, and always create the plays...Sure he shoots a lot. Look at what happens when someone else has the ball in their hands."

MORE: LaMelo Ball's latest off-the-backboard pass proves he is the NBA's most creative star

Why LaMelo Ball hasn't gotten the same level of respect from media members

While LaMelo fans see him as carrying the Hornets on a nightly basis, media voters see a player that has lost 57 percent of his career games. One local beat writer who chose not to vote for Ball in the past cited the lack of team success as his main reason for passing on the guard. 

"He hasn’t won s---," that voter said. "Call me old school, but I like to reward winning."

Ball also doesn't receive much love in the media vote because of the way the ballot is structured, according to a national writer.

"It has more to do with the field than any indictment of LaMelo's game. The media only has two votes for backcourt starters, and there are a whole bunch of talented, accomplished, successful options to choose from," he said. "Injuries basically took LaMelo out of the discussion in 2023 and 2024." 

A second national writer echoed those health concerns. "He'd only played like 20 games by the time ballots were due, so the other candidates for guard spots had giant edges in games, minutes and production."

A third national writer suggested that Ball's lack of votes among his peers was not particularly noteworthy.

"It's pretty common for players to make the All-Star team without getting many media votes," the media member said. "Since they went to this system in 2017, I show that about a third of All-Stars have gotten two or fewer media votes that year.

"I suspect the difference this year will be interesting, but I guess we'll see what kind of media support he gets."

Ball was at least considered by some media voters in his best season prior to this one, back in 2022. 

"He was averaging like 19-7-7 on a fun and above-.500 team ... As good as he was as a 20-year-old, I didn't think he was better than [DeMar DeRozan, Trae Young, Jrue Holiday, Darius Garland, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden] that year. I voted for DeMar and VanVleet." 

This year, Ball has a stronger statistical case. Will voters care, and will they have watched enough of him? 

His popularity is hurt by the fact that he doesn't have the exposure of some of the other guards that he's competing against. The Hornets' record doesn't lead them to being prioritized on many watch lists. And they had their lone national TV game of the season flexed out for the second year in a row. 

For those that are watching, either locally or on league pass, they see a one-of-a-kind personality. Who else would casually sink a behind-the-back 3-pointer during warmups, throw the ball off a teammate's hip in order to regain their dribble, or genuinely compliment a reporter's voice during a postgame interview?

Whatever the media thinks of Ball, one thing is clear — he's immensely popular, and that isn't going away soon. The league has not put much time into trying to make him one of the new faces of the league, which is a mistake. He's an immensely entertaining player, marketable, and unique.

Two million fans have spoken, and it would be wise to listen to them. Whether he makes his second All-Star game or not, Ball deserves more national attention. There's a movement behind him, and it's only growing.