Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball received the benefit of great news after a frightening incident.
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was involved in a rather scary off-the-court incident on Wednesday afternoon.
Shortly before 5 p.m. ET, Ball — while driving his custom-made Hummer — collided with another vehicle. Ball exited his truck appearing unscathed, and a source told The Charlotte Observer he thankfully escaped without any injuries.
The other person involved was treated for non-life threatening injuries, so it seemed to be fortunate news all around.
The Hornets have declined to comment, and Charlotte police have not released any information.
Ball has played in 45 games this season and is averaging 19.3 points, 7.4 assists and 4.8 rebounds over 27.7 minutes per game on 40.1/36.3/88.5 shooting splits.
The 24-year-old had been floated as a trade candidate over the summer and during the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, but with the Hornets marching toward a potential playoff berth, Ball stayed put past the trade deadline.
Not only that, but the former No. 3 overall pick has mostly stayed healthy this year.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images.Durability has been a major problem for Ball since entering the NBA in 2020. While he appeared in 75 contests during his sophomore season, he proceeded to play in 36, 22 and 47 games, respectively, between 2022-23 and 2024-25.
Ball was then plagued by an ankle injury at the beginning of this season, which had many concerned considering he had previously undergone surgery for an ankle impingement he suffered last year.
However, that appeared to be just a blip on the radar for Ball, who has remained healthy ever since.
Charlotte signed Ball to a five-year, $204 million contract extension during the summer of 2023, a deal that runs through 2029 and was beginning to look like an albatross as a result of all of Ball's injury issues.
When healthy, there is no questioning Ball's talent, even if his efficiency certainly leaves something to be desired. His leadership and maturity have also been doubted over the years, but it seems like he has been a strong presence in the Hornets' locker room this season.
Charlotte is 26-29 and has won 10 of its last 11 games. It will face the Houston Rockets in its first game out of the All-Star break on Thursday night.
Hornets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hornets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.