The Latest Update On LaMelo Ball's Injury
LaMelo Ball was an All-Star during his second season in the NBA, but the former third-overall pick missed the first 13 games (due to an ankle injury) for the Charlotte Hornets to start the 2022-23 season.
However, he returned and played in their last three games, averaging 19.3 points and 7.0 assists per contest.
Unfortunately, he got injured at the end of Wednesday's loss to the Indiana Pacers when he stepped on a fan's foot and hurt his ankle.
On Thursday, Steve Reed of the Associated Press relayed an injury update on the 21-year-old.
Reed: "Hornets PG LaMelo Ball had an x-ray on his ankle after the game last night and it was negative. He will not play Friday night at Cleveland and it's unclear at this point how long he will be out. Last time he missed 13 games."
This is tough news for the Hornets, who had just gotten their best player back in the lineup.
They started out the season a respectable 3-3 in their first six games but then went on an eight-game losing streak.
Currently, they have lost nine of their last ten games and are 4-12 in their first 16 games.
Last season, Ball averaged 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists per contest and they lost in the play-in tournament to the Atlanta Hawks.
Therefore, making the NBA Playoffs was already going to be hard with Ball, but in the games that he has missed, they have looked like arguably the worst team in the league.
Before getting injured against the Pacers, Ball played 37 minutes and had 26 points, one rebound, six assists and two steals.
