It’s what every coach fears in the preseason, hopefully this one is not that serious.
The Hornets LaMelo Ball has left Monday night’s exhibition game against the Wizards with a sprained left ankle and will not return, the team announced.
The play happened in the third quarter when Ball was driving the lane and stepped on the foot of Anthony Gill. Ball immediately went to the ground, then left the game and went back to the locker room.
LaMelo Ball suffered a left ankle sprain and will not return to tonight's preseason game. pic.twitter.com/BwHRHWWNqC
— Bally Sports: Hornets (@HornetsOnBally) October 11, 2022
The good news is Ball did not appear to show much of a limp walking back to the locker room.
LaMelo heading to the locker room after rolling his left ankle after coming down on a Wizards player. pic.twitter.com/GdJIcdKKHr
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) October 11, 2022
The real test will be Tuesday morning and how Ball feels then.
LaMelo was not the only player to leave the game with a sprained ankle, the Wizards’ Kristaps Porzingis left the game not to return after rolling his ankle as well. It happened the same way, stepping on a defender’s foot while driving the lane.
Kristaps Porzingis is back in the locker room after rolling his ankle on this play 😖 pic.twitter.com/Hen5AwRfza
— NBC Sports Wizards (@NBCSWizards) October 11, 2022
Like Ball with the Hornets, Porzingis is critical to the Wizards’ success this season and so they got him out of the game quickly and he will get treatment for a few days.
