The Charlotte Hornets resumed their winning ways with a blowout win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday evening. The win allowed Charlotte to hold on to the No. 10 position in the East, and LaMelo Ball was dominant, scoring 30 points with 13 assists in the win.
After the game, the NBA on NBC crew detailed some of the team’s successes and Tracy McGrady called Ball “Melo”. One guy who wasn’t involved was Carmelo Anthony Also a part of the broadcast.
“LaMelo.*”
Carmelo Anthony had to correct T-Mac after calling LaMelo Ball Melo. ??? pic.twitter.com/7JmoREL3lV
– NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) 18 March 2026
Older fans in the NBA have long sought to stop younger fans from referring to LaMelo Ball as simply “Melo”, noting that Carmelo Anthony’s name was shortened during his Hall of Fame career.
While he may need a new nickname, Ball has certainly taken his game to another level this season, continuing to extend his shooting range, showing more commitment on defense, and taking advantage of the plethora of weapons that Charlotte has put around him on offense, including Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Nueppel.
Now that all of these pieces are starting to fall into place, the Hornets are playing some of the best basketball in the NBA, and head coach Charles Lee has done an impressive job of helping bring everything together.
Nevertheless, due to their struggles early in the season, it will be difficult for the Hornets to climb out of the play-in zone in the Eastern Conference, and it is looking increasingly likely that Charlotte will have to win two straight elimination games to make their first playoff appearance in ten years.
The Hornets next face off at home against the Orlando Magic on Thursday evening.
#Carmelo #Anthony #corrects #Tracy #McGrady #calling #LaMelo #Ball #Melo
