LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton Finalists for 2021 NBA ROY Award

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton were named as the three finalists for the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year award on Thursday.

The announcement was made during TNT's pregame show before the Indiana Pacers at Washington Wizards play-in game.

Ball, who the Hornets selected with the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, posted 15.7 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game.

One of his best outings occurred against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 9, when he posted a 22-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double in his 10th NBA game.

The Hornets made vast strides with Ball in the rotation, improving from 23-42 last year to 33-39 this season. Charlotte qualified for the play-in tournament but lost to the Pacers on Tuesday, ending its campaign.

Edwards, the top pick in the 2020 draft, led all rookies with 19.3 points per game. He shined in his last 40 contests in particular, posting 23.5 points on 44.4 percent shooting and 5.4 rebounds per matchup.

The rising star notably scored 42 points in a pair of games, including a 123-119 win over a Phoenix Suns team that finished with the NBA's second-best regular-season record.

Haliburton is looking like a steal after being taken No. 12 overall in the draft. He averaged 13.0 points on 47.2 percent shooting and 5.3 assists per game before a knee injury prematurely ended his season in early May.

The ex-Iowa State star was an efficient scorer everywhere on the court, averaging 40.9 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line.