The Charlotte guard is averaging career highs in points and assists per game.
A disappointing season for himhornetIt went from bad to worse on Monday night when one of the NBA’s brightest young stars suffered what could be a season-ending injury.
charlotte Announced Star guard LaMelo Ball suffered a broken right ankle during the third quarter of the Hornets’ 117-106 win over thepistons, leaving him out of the game after adding 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. With Charlotte sitting with a 72–54 lead, the ball fell awkwardly untouched while handling the ball.
The 21-year-old Ball has averaged 23.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 8.5 assists in 35 games this season, his third in the NBA. His point and assist per game averages are the best of his career.
This marks the second major injury in Ball’s brief NBA career, following a broken wrist as a rookie in March 2021.
Ball was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and was selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star in 2022. He has ranked in the top 20 in assists per game and in the top 10 in steals per game in each of its first two seasons. .
The Hornets currently sit at 20–43, 9 1/2 games behind thewizardsfor the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.
