When Charlotte Hornets star rookie LaMelo Ball went down with a fractured right wrist during a March 19 game against the Los Angeles Clippers, it seems as if his initial NBA campaign was over.
Ball, 19, ended up undergoing surgery on said wrist with no timetable for a return. The good news at this point was that the Hornets did not officially rule the NBA Rookie of the Year favorite out for the remainder of the season.
We now have some more good news on this front. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Ball’s right wrist is completely healed. In turn, the Hornets have cleared him to return to individual basketball activities.
This is the clearest indication yet that LaMelo Ball is superhuman. In all seriousness, it also means that he’s going to return at some point here soon.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Ball was absolutely dominating the opposition before he went down with the aforementioned injury less than a month ago. The teenager is averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists on 45% shooting from the field. That includes a robust 38% mark from distance.
Since seeing LaMelo Ball go down to injury, the Hornets have posted a decent 8-8 record. They are currently 28-28 on the season and the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
With the Hornets battling for a play-in spot in the NBA Playoffs and less than a month to go in the regular season, there’s a chance Ball returns within the next 10 days. That would be huge for Michael Jordan’s squad.