Charlotte coach Charles Lee challenged LaMelo Ball to become stronger and better conditioned after another injury-hit season.
Ball averaged a career-high 25.2 points but played only 47 games, continuing a pattern that has limited him throughout five NBA seasons.
Opponents test Ball with physical defence
Defenders denied Ball the ball, used their bodies away from the play and attacked him on drives. Teams also targeted him at the other end, backing him down and forcing him into early foul trouble.
“He’s got to get stronger and more conditioned to be able to play both sides of the ball and sustain efforts,” Lee said.
The coach did not set a target weight, leaving the details to Charlotte’s performance staff.
Ball accepts Charlotte’s challenge
Ball agreed with the assessment.
“Just being in the weight room, and everything they’re saying,” he said when asked where his offseason work would begin.
The guard still averaged 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds, showing the all-around influence that made him an All-Star in 2022.
Availability remains the central issue
Ball has played 56 percent of Charlotte’s games since entering the NBA. His last three seasons all ended with surgery, mostly because of ankle and foot problems.
General manager Jeff Peterson viewed 47 appearances as progress after Ball played 36 and 22 in the previous two seasons. Ball also had procedures on his right wrist and ankle and was expected to be ready for training camp.
Charlotte remains convinced Ball can perform at an All-Star level. The next step is building a body capable of sustaining it.
