Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is expected to miss at least a week following a left ankle sprain he sustained during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the team quickly ruled Ball out after the injury occurred. Before leaving the game, Ball recorded seven points, one assist, and one rebound.

The injury occurred after Ball made a three-pointer off one foot. As he attempted to step back, he inadvertently stepped on the heel of Lakers power forward Jared Vanderbilt, resulting in the ankle rolling and Ball falling to the ground. Although he managed to stand up and intentionally foul to stop the clock, he proceeded to walk directly to the locker room.

LaMelo Ball has a notable history of ankle injuries, having played only 58 games in the last two seasons due to similar issues, as reported by Steve Reed of NBA.com. This past April, he began wearing ankle braces for added support. Ball has expressed his commitment to improving his ankle health, stating, "My favorite thing to do is play basketball, and to not be able to do it is just horrible... I’m going to take this summer to get it as strong as I can to get out there and play." Despite the challenges, the 23-year-old is enjoying a strong season with the struggling Hornets, averaging 28.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, although the team's overall record of 12-32 places them near the bottom of the NBA Eastern Conference.