Charles Lee details 'unfortunate' loss of LaMelo Ball, praises his 'warrior mentality'

For the fourth time in five career seasons, LaMelo Ball has been ruled out for the season due to an injury. His 2024-25 season, the most statistically impressive one of his career, ends after 47 games with Ball averaging 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds on top of countless highlights that have left Charlotte Hornets fans speechless on a night-to-night basis.

Steph Curry complimented LaMelo Ball's space creation abilities after Monday night's game.

Here are some of his best moments of space creation this season pic.twitter.com/Ysk3yKzKjw
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) March 5, 2025

Ball's last game of the season was on March 26th, a loss against the Orlando Magic that he fouled out of. Ahead of the Charlotte Hornets' first game following the unfortunate news that LaMelo Ball's season is over, Charles Lee opined about the star point guard's toughness.

"He's known as one of the leaders of our team in terms of just trying to be available. He's been battling through a ton, and the fact that he's just kind of had this warrior mentality, I think to try to show up every night - he's played more games than he has the last couple years, he's been available for longer stretches throughout this season and I'm proud of him for that."

Ball's statistical output will be impossible for the Hornets to aggregate in his absence, but it will allow Charlotte's younger guards a chance to run the show as we trundle towards the end of the season. Nick Smith Jr., K.J. Simpson, and Damion Baugh, will get valuable reps down the stretch of 2025.

Ball will join fellow impact players Brandon Miller, Tre Mann, and Grant Williams on the pine for the final stanza of 2025. Charles Lee called LaMelo's procedures "minor" with "short timelines," offering a glimmer of hope that his offseason, an important one in his young career, won't be affected.

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