Hornets' LaMelo Ball Eyes MVP, 1st-Team All-NBA After Signing $260M Max Contract

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball put pen-to-paper on his rookie-scale contract extension on Thursday, and he's already eyeing bigger things now that his future with the franchise is ensured.

Ball said he's "shooting for" MVP and First Team All-NBA after signing his reported five-year, $260 million extension.

The Hornets selected Ball with the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft, and he went on to be named the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 51 games while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 35.2 percent from deep.

Ball earned his first All-Star selection during the 2021-22 season after averaging 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 75 games while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from deep.

The 21-year-old's promising 2022-23 campaign was cut short due to a fractured right ankle. In 36 games, he averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists while shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc.

With how Ball has performed over the first three years of his career, the sky is the limit for the talented young point guard.