Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball suffers broken right wrist, reportedly expected to miss rest of season

The Charlotte Hornets announced on Sunday that rookie LaMelo Ball has a broken bone in his right wrist.

Ball suffered the injury during Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. An MRI on Sunday confirmed the initial diagnosis of a broken bone, according to the Hornets. The team listed Ball as out indefinitely. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Ball is expected to miss the rest of the season. 

Ball appeared to suffer the injury on a fall in the first half of Saturday’s game. He returned to the game before leaving the game for good in the fourth quarter.

“It looked to me like he was having some discomfort there so I took him out,” Hornets coach James Borrego said Saturday, per Hornets reporter Rod Boone. 

Tough blow for Ball, Hornets, NBA

Ball has been a sensation since joining the Hornets as the No. 3 pick in the draft, surpassing lofty expectations while taking the lead in the Rookie of the Year race. Through 41 games, Ball is averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds. He quickly dispelled early concerns about his shooting and is connecting on 45.1% of his field goals and 37.5% of his 3-point attempts.

His arrival has helped lift a Hornets team that finished 23-42 last season to a 20-21 start in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. His absence is a big blow to the Hornets and the NBA as Ball projects as one of the league’s next stars.

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