Coming into his third season with the Charlotte Hornets, LaMelo Ball was hoping to take another step into the All-Star realm in the East, as he just missed out on that honor a year ago.
With Miles Bridges off the roster, Ball figured to shoulder an even larger scoring load this season for the Hornets as they enter the year with plenty of questions about who will step into the void around him. Unfortunately, Ball’s third-year campaign got off to a rough start on Monday night when he turned his ankle over on a drive in a preseason game against the Wizards and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the night with a sprain.
It was a nasty looking ankle injury, as his foot turned almost completely over at 90 degrees, and on Tuesday the results of an MRI came back and revealed a Grade 2 sprain that will keep him out into the regular season, per Shams Charania, with the team not offering a firm timetable for his return in their official release.
Hornets and Ball are certainly relieved his scary ankle sprain on Monday night isn't more severe. His return will be based on rehab and treatment over the coming days — and week(s). https://t.co/U2eoKAG9FI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 11, 2022
INJURY UPDATE: The results of @hornets guard LaMelo Ball’s MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis of a L ankle sprain. His return to full basketball activities will be determined by his response to rehab and treatment and further updates on his status will be provided as appropriate https://t.co/c70iE0k8X7
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) October 11, 2022
The Hornets figure to be heavily reliant on Ball this season, so any absence will be a big blow to their hopes of finding their way into the play-in picture in the East once again, but they also will take the long view with their franchise cornerstone and look to ensure he’s as close to full strength as possible before bringing him back.
