LaMelo 'not really' excited for 1st game against LeBron

Charlotte Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball is treating his first game against LeBron James in the same manner as he would any other matchup on the schedule.

Ahead of Thursday's meeting with the Lakers in Los Angeles, the presumptive favorite for Rookie of the Year seemed unfazed when asked if there was any added excitement from facing LeBron.

"I mean, nah," Ball told reporters, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I grew up a little different. Not really on basketball like that. So, not really."

Ball, 19, admitted that "it will be cool" to square off against LeBron, adding: "I go to every game with the same approach - going in to try to get a win."

Ball's older brother, New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, has conceded that he modeled his game after LeBron's. Not so for first-year stud LaMelo.

"It was my pops," LaMelo answered when asked if he looked up to anyone the way his brother did to James. "So, I was big on family and stuff like that. Not really with the basketball."

Winners of six of their last eight, the Hornets have climbed to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings ahead of Wednesday's road clash with the Denver Nuggets.

Much of that is due to the heady play of Ball, who has been stellar since moving into the starting five on Feb. 1. As a starter, Ball is averaging 19.8 points, 6.6 assists, 6.2 boards, and 1.7 steals, and leads all rookies in those categories.