On the court, Charlotte Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball has dealt with a plethora of injuries. The former No. 3 overall pick from UCLA played in all of 22 games last season due to an ankle injury.
It’s a crying shame considering how well he has performed when on the court. This past season saw Ball average 23.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists. Unfortunately, he just can’t stay healthy.
Off the court, Ball finds himself in the news for all the wrong reasons. According to Joe Bruno of WSOCTV in Charlotte, Ball is being sued by a family after he allegedly ran over an 11-year-old autograph seeker. This is not a drill. It actually happened.
Tamaria McRae says that at a fan event last October her son was seeking an autograph from Ball. The guard apparently did not sign anything. Instead, he drove off in his car and ran over the young man’s foot. The youngster broke his foot in the incident outside of the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
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“This is his hero, his idol, and he got run over by him,” their lawyer, Cameron DeBrun, said.
A photo was shown of the boy in crutches after the alleged incident.
“When you see your children hurt, it hurts you,” the boy’s mother said. “It’s been rough. It’s been real rough. I mean like I’m a strong person. This broke me. This right here, it really did.”
At this point, we have not heard a response from Ball or the Hornets’ organization. Still, it’s a pretty damning allegation.
Ball has a reputation for driving recklessly in the Charlotte area. Obviously, this would be the most noteworthy incident.
As it relates to the young boy, his family is not only suing Ball. They have also filed suit against the Hornets organization stemming from the incident in question.