Charlotte Hornets sign LaMelo Ball to lucrative contract extension

Several media reports LaMelo Ball's new contract extension is worth up to $260 million.

Posted 12:04 a.m. Jul 7 — Updated 3:59 p.m. Jul 7

Mark Bergin

, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets signed guard LaMelo Ball to a contract extension, general manager Mitch Kupchak announced Thursday.

The Hornets did not publicly disclose the terms of Ball's new deal.

However, several media reports indicate the five-year max extension is worth up to $260 million. The Athletic's Shams Charania was first to report the financial figures of Ball's extension.

In a video posted to the Hornets' social media pages, Ball said he would shoot to become a first-team All-NBA player and become the NBA MVP.

"[I'm] shooting for them all," Ball said. "[The] main thing is winning though."

Ball, 21, was an NBA All-Star in 2022 and the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021.

The Hornets selected Ball with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

Ball has appeared in 162 games for the Hornets (142 starts) in three seasons, averaging 19.4 points, 7.3 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 31.8 minutes per game for his career.

In the 2022-23 campaign, Ball played in 36 games after a right ankle fracture ended his season. The Hornets finished with a 27-55 record last season.

The Hornets are rebuilding having missed the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons. The team selected Alabama's Brandon Miller with the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

It was Michael Jordan's final draft as the majority owner of the team.

Hornets Sports & Entertainment announced in June that Jordan reached an agreement to sell his majority stake in the Hornets to a group (“the Buyer Group”) led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. Jordan will retain a minority ownership share of the team.

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