LaMelo Ball At No. 35: Why ESPN’s Placement Undersells Him

ESPN placed point guard LaMelo Ball at No. 35 in its 2026 NBA Rank, marking a jump from No. 63 the previous year. The ranking positions Ball directly behind OG Anunoby and just ahead of Paolo Banchero, while also placing him above veteran stars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.

Ball played 72 games last season, averaging 20.1 points and 7.1 assists in 28 minutes per game. Following a trade from the Charlotte Hornets to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he joins Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert for the upcoming campaign.