Charlotte Hornets’ LaMelo Ball fractures ankle in game against Detroit Pistons

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LaMelo Ball fractured his right ankle Monday in the Charlotte Hornets’ game against the Detroit Pistons, the team announced after the matchup.

The 2020-21 rookie of the year left the game in the third quarter after juking out Pistons guard Killian Hayes and stepping awkwardly on his ankle. Ball fell to the court in pain. He went to the locker room where he got an X-ray, which revealed that he had fractured his ankle.

The Hornets won the game against the Pistons, 117-106. They are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

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Ball will not play in the Hornets’ next matchup on Wednesday as Charlotte hosts the Phoenix Suns, who are awaiting Kevin Durant’s debut. The Hornets will evaluate Ball’s status from there.

The 21-year-old, who was named to his first All-Star game last season, has injured his left ankle multiple times this season. It has caused him to miss 13 games at the opening of the season and another 11-game stretch in November and December. He is averaging 23.4 points per game.

© Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) looks to pass during the first half against the Detroit Pistons at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023.

Ball’s brother, Lonzo, is also injured and will miss the entire 2022-23 season for the Chicago Bulls with a lingering knee injury.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlotte Hornets’ LaMelo Ball fractures ankle in game against Detroit Pistons