Shams Charania Says LaMelo Ball to Miss ‘Extended Time’ Due to Ankle Injury

The Hornets guard suffered a right ankle fracture last season.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is expected to miss “extended time” after spraining his right ankle, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday. 

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski added that Ball will likely be out for “multiple weeks” and will be further evaluated for the team to figure out a specific timeline of his return.

While missing the star guard will make the coming weeks tough for Charlotte, Ball did not suffer a fracture in his ankle like he did last season.

Last year’s fracture, which also happened to his right ankle, caused him to undergo surgery and miss 46 games. 

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball has suffered a serious sprain in his right ankle and is likely to miss extended time, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Tests show Ball avoided a fracture in the ankle, which required surgery last season, and a cautious approach is expected. pic.twitter.com/kciSB72aw9

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 28, 2023

The 22-year-old was injured in Sunday’s 130–117 loss to the Magic, causing him to exit the game early. He fell on his right ankle when trying to make a layup, and he had to be helped up. 

The Hornets are 5–10 to start out the season as Ball is averaging 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.