Carmelo, LaMelo Ball swap jerseys after nearly combining for 60 points

On Monday, future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and rookie LaMelo Ball met on the court for the first time this season as the Portland Trail Blazers hosted the Charlotte Hornets.

During the first matchup between the two, Anthony scored a season-high 29 points off of the bench to lead the Trail Blazers to a 123-111 victory. He finished by shooting 10-of-19 from the field, including a season-high six 3-pointers in 32 minutes of work.

Meanwhile, Ball countered with 30 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals to lead the Hornets. The performance by Ball marked his second career 30-point game, while he became the youngest player to reach those numbers in a game, according to Stathead.

After the game, the two found each other and swapped jerseys.

The 19-year-old Ball this season has earned his fair share of respect from his peers around the league, with Anthony the latest to show his support. Ball has emerged as the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year and his latest outing showed he won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

Related

Draymond Green reacts to LaMelo Ball's double-double in win vs. Kings

Hornets' LaMelo Ball makes headlines over Mike Conley Jr. taunt

'His teammates love him': Dell Curry dishes on LaMelo Ball, Hornets

List

NBA 2K21 Ratings Update: LaMelo, Saddiq Bey among biggest rookie risers