LaMelo Ball to Make Season Debut for Hornets vs. Heat After Ankle Injury
The Charlotte Hornets announced that point guard LaMelo Ball will make his 2022-23 season debut Saturday night against the Miami Heat after recovering from a left ankle sprain,
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news earlier Saturday before the Hornets made it official.
Ball suffered the ankle sprain during a preseason matchup against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 10, when Anthony Gill accidentally stepped on his left foot.
The 21-year-old averaged 20.1 points, 7.6 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game last year. He earned his first All-Star appearance en route to leading Charlotte to a 43-39 record.
Ball earned Rookie of the Year honors the season before thanks to 15.7 points, 6.1 dimes and 5.9 boards per outing.
The talented ball-handler has been out for extended periods of time in recent years because of injury. When he played for the NBL's Illawarra Hawks in 2019-20, he suffered a bruised right foot during practice that was initially supposed to keep him out for at least a month.
However, he ended up leaving the team for the season and went home to the United States to prepare for the 2020 NBA draft. He went third overall to the Charlotte Hornets.
During his rookie year, Ball suffered a fractured bone in his right wrist that kept him out for a month. He played a career-high 75 games last year.
Terry Rozier has filled in as Charlotte's starting point guard with Ball sidelined. Dennis Smith Jr. also saw more playing time.
The Hornets enter Saturday's game with a 3-10 record.
