LiAngelo: 'I belong in the league'
Many believed LiAngelo Ball's addition to the Charlotte Hornets summer league roster was done to curry favor with his younger brother, LaMelo Ball.
However, LiAngelo silenced most of that skepticism through five outings in Las Vegas, and he believes those performances earned him a spot in the NBA.
"I feel like I belong in the league, but I know I can show more than what I did," LiAngelo told Sports Illustrated's Roderick Boone following Monday's 99-74 defeat to the Chicago Bulls.
He added: "I'm not satisfied with how I played this last game, but overall it was all right. I can always get better going forward."
LiAngelo finished with just six points on 3-of-13 shooting against the Bulls. Overall, he averaged 9.6 points, two rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 17.4 minutes off the bench, including 16 points in 16 minutes in the Hornets' opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder was active in the post and on the glass, showing he can weather the physical rigors of the Association.
"It was a good experience," LiAngelo said. "I was able to pick up new things and learn new stuff because I have never done summer league before. It was a good experience overall. I was glad to be here."
LiAngelo has yet to appear in an NBA game, unlike brothers Lonzo and LaMelo. He's not under contract with an organization.
He signed with the G League's Oklahoma City Blue in March 2020 but failed to appear in a contest before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. LiAngelo was also invited to the Detroit Pistons preseason camp in December 2020 but was subsequently waived.