4x All-Star Makes a Bold Claim About LaMelo Ball: He is Better Than Damian Lillard Right Now

Following back-to-back seasons with less than 40 reps, LaMelo Ball is finally back to showcasing his elite point guard abilities on a regular basis. His performance so far has already hurled him into the conversation with the league’s best guards. Despite only a 17-game sample size, four-time NBA All-Star Demarcus Cousins listed Ball as a top-five point guard in the league, slotting him higher than the likes of Damian Lillard.

Cousins made a guest appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back alongside Michelle Beadle, Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams, where he was asked about LaMelo’s progress this season. Cousins talked about how the 23 year-old is very underrated because he plays in a small market.

Not only did Cousins seem to be on the Ball hype train, he took it a step further. He said,

“Right now, he’s a top five point guard… He’s definitely over Dame right now. In this moment right now, I think LaMelo is outperforming Dame.”

Cousins wasn’t met with pushback at his initial statement of Ball’s positioning in the hierarchy of point guards. However, once he put the Hornets guard over Lillard, Parsons questioned the former Warriors star.

Cousins did not concede his stance, however, declaring that he would rather have Melo now as an all-time player than Lillard. This clearly shocked the Run It Back crew, and quite justifiably so.

Lillard is an obvious choice as an overall player over Melo. The 34-year-old is one of ten active players picked to be on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. When his career ends, he’ll be a lock for the Hall of Fame.

Ball must prove his ability to produce at a top level over the course of several years. However, his performance this season suggests that the gap between Lillard and him isn’t as wide as projected.

Lillard and Ball head-to-head

Cousins’ statement may seem outrageous, but it may pretty well be ahead of the curve upon closer inspection. If the season were to end today, LaMelo would undoubtedly earn a spot on an All-NBA Team. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only two players who are averaging more than 30 points per game. However, the advanced statistics reveal the depths of Ball’s impact.

The Hornets are a completely different team with LaMelo on the court. The 6-foot-8 guard holds a point differential of +14.6, according to Cleaning The Glass. Charlotte’s offense is a well-oiled machine with LaMelo on the court, as their points per possession increase by 11.8 points which is in the 93rd percentile.

Lillard’s counting stats are great like they usually are, but his team’s success isn’t as dependent on him. Throughout the entirety of Dame’s career, he’s been a positive player on the court. However, through the first 18 games of the season, his point differential is -0.4, according to Cleaning The Glass.

His expected wins for the season are at -1. The difference between the two players is that Dame has the privilege of having Giannis as a teammate. Despite the lack of talent around LaMelo, he’s thriving as the primary offensive option and doing so in style.

Dame’s advantage against LaMelo involves team success. The Bucks are 9-9 after turning around their season, and Charlotte is 6-11 overall. Moreover, Ball has yet to play in a postseason game. On the other hand, Lillard hasn’t witnessed the greatest success in the playoffs but is a proven playoff performer.

However, we must also admit that Dame is on the cusp of leaving his prime while Melo hasn’t entered his prime yet.