Photo: David Jensen/Getty
Charlotte Hornets starLaMelo Ballis facing time on the bench with a fractured ankle.
The NBA’s 2020-2021 rookie of the year sustained the injury midway through a game against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, when he turned his ankle in a non-contact play in the third quarter,according to ESPN.
Avideo posted to Twittershows Ball, 21, dribbling the ball behind his back before stepping back and falling to the floor.
“It popped,“he said to coaching staffshortly afterward. “I heard it pop.”
The 2021-2022 All-Star left the game having already scored 18 points, including 6 three-pointers, at the time of the injury.
“Ball will be listed as out for the Hornets' next game vs. Phoenix on March 1 and updates regarding his status will be provided as appropriate,” the team said.
For the sub-.500 Hornets, losing Ball for any length of time is a tough pill to swallow.
While their victory over the Pistons on Monday only gave the team its 20th win of the season, theMichael Jordan-owned franchise is on a five-game winning streak.
“It’s certainly disappointing because he’s a major part of our team and we felt like we were rounding the corner,” Hornets forward Gordon Hayward said, per ESPN.
Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty
It’s not the first time this season the Hornets have had to deal with Ball’s absence. The California native missed the first 13 games of this year with a left ankle sprain. Then, three games into his return,he stepped on a fan’s footand re-aggravated the injury, sending him back to the bench for another month.
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Talking about Ball’s latest setback, Hornets coach Steve Clifford did not say how long the star would be out.
“It’s just a basketball ankle and there is nothing that you can do about that,” he said following the game.
source: people.com
