LaMelo Ball Out with Ankle Injury After Setback During Hornets vs. Nets

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was ruled out of the team’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday due to right ankle soreness.

Ball played 10 minutes in the first quarter of the contest but went into Charlotte’s locker room after checking out of the game.

The 23-year-old has been plagued by ankle issues this season, appearing in just one of the Hornets’ past seven games due to a sprained ankle that he suffered against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 27.

Ball finished with five points and three assists against Brooklyn, shooting 2-5 from the field.

Entering Monday’s action, the former All-Star suited up in just 32 of the Hornets’ first 50 games of the season. He missed time earlier in the year due to a calf injury.

Ball has proven himself as one of the NBA’s top offensive guards when healthy, showcasing his flashy passing to go along with an improved pull-up three-point jumper.

To open his 2024-25 campaign, he’s averaged 28.0 points and 7.4 assists to go along with 1.3 steals per game. While he’s shooting just 41.6 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from behind the arc, he’s attempting 12.2 long-range shots on a nightly basis.

Charlotte has struggled mightily when Ball isn’t available, owning a mere 1-17 record in the 18 games that he hasn’t played in this season.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft appeared in 75 games during the 2021-22 season, but he went on to play in just 58 games over the next two years combined.

Ball’s 2022-23 season came to an end due to a right ankle fracture and he dealt with ankle issues throughout the ensuing year before he was eventually shut down for the season.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported on Oct. 25 that the guard started wearing ankle braces in an attempt to prevent health problems moving forward.

After leaving against Brooklyn, Ball’s next opportunity to play will come against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.