FILE — LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets brings the ball up court during the fourth quarter game at Spectrum Center on March 15, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images/AFP
Charlotte Hornets star rookie LaMelo Ball will be re-evaluated in four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair his broken right wrist, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
The timetable leaves the door open for a possible return this season for the 19-year-old point guard, a frontrunner for NBA Rookie of the Year honors.
Ball injured the wrist during Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He fell early in the game and appeared to be in discomfort the rest of the contest. He finished with 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting in 22 minutes.
Ball was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 draft and was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for both January and February.
He is averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 41 games (21 starts). He leads all rookies in assists and steals, with his 1.6 thefts per game tied for fifth overall in the NBA.