Carmelo Anthony’s blunt rebuke to Tracy McGrady calling Hornets’ LaMelo Ball ‘Melo’

The Charlotte Hornets resumed their winning ways on Tuesday evening with a blowout victory over the Miami Heat. The win allowed Charlotte to hold steady in the number 10 position in the East, and LaMelo Ball was dominant, scoring 30 points to go along with 13 assists in the win.

After the game, the NBA on NBC crew broke down some of the success of the team, and Tracy McGrady referred to Ball as “Melo.” One person not on board with that was Carmelo Anthony, who was also a part of the broadcast.

"LaMelo.*"

Carmelo Anthony had to correct T-Mac after he referred to LaMelo Ball as Melo. pic.twitter.com/7JmoREL3lV

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 18, 2026

Older fans in the NBA have long sought to stop younger fans from referring to LaMelo Ball as simply “Melo,” considering that this is what Carmelo Anthony’s name was shortened to throughout his Hall of Fame career.

While he may need a new nickname, Ball has certainly taken his game to another level this season, continuing to expand his shooting range, showing more commitment on defense, and taking advantage of the plethora of weapons that Charlotte has put around him on offense, including Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel.

Now that all of these pieces have started to click, the Hornets are playing some of the best basketball in the NBA, and head coach Charles Lee has done an impressive job of helping everything meld.

Still, because of their struggles earlier in the season, it will be difficult for the Hornets to get out of the play-in zone in the Eastern Conference, and it’s looking increasingly likely that Charlotte would have to win two straight elimination games in order to make their first playoff appearance in ten years.

The Hornets will next take the floor on Thursday evening at home against the Orlando Magic.

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