LaMelo Ball watches courtside as Liam McNeeley scores 22 to lead Charlotte Hornets past Utah Jazz
LaMelo Ball was right there in Las Vegas and got to see the game between Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz. First-round selection Liam McNeeley came off the bench and scored 22 points, collected 12 boards, and provided six assists, energizing a balanced attack from the Charlotte Hornets.
With his lively presence and support from the sidelines, the Hornets secured a thrilling 111–105 win in their Summer League opener against the Utah Jazz. And you can bet: this is just the start of a captivating rookie season.
Liam McNeeley delivers dominant bench performance for Charlotte Hornets
Liam McNeeley, the Hornets' 29th overall pick and a UConn star, was absolutely electric. In just 28 minutes, he racked up 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, pulled down 12 rebounds (five of which were offensive), and handed out six assists—all from the bench.
He wasn't the only one shining: second-year guard KJ Simpson added 21 points, and Tidjane Salaün hit a vital corner three in the closing minutes, finishing with 20.
All nine players from Charlotte who played scored at least five points, leading to a strong 50.6% shooting effort.
Utah put a lot of pressure on Kyle Filipowski, particularly since they were without rookie Ace Bailey. He delivered with a game-high 32 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
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Cody Williams and Walter Clayton Jr. also contributed 21 points each. Charlotte had a solid 13-point lead in the first half but faced a tough 36–27 third quarter from the Jazz, yet they still went into the fourth with an 87–84 advantage. When the score was tied at 103 with under three minutes to go, Ryan Kalkbrenner's alley-oop led to Salaün's game-winning shot—one of several key plays that changed the game's momentum.
The young Hornets were on fire on the boards, out-rebounding their opponents 40 to 34, with 14 of those being offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. They kicked off the game with a quick tempo, thanks to Simpson, and only committed two turnovers in the first quarter and 15 in total—a great effort for Summer League play.
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Cooper Flagg's unpolished shooting mechanics spark concern after debut struggles in Dallas Mavericks
LaMelo Ball showed up and with him came everything that Charlotte fans wished for in their future — depth, energy, and tons of potential. Thanks to some standout bench scoring, disciplined play, and key moments from McNeeley, Simpson, Salaün, and Kalkbrenner, the Hornets made a striking first impression.
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