Is Lamelo Ball playing tonight against Pelicans? Latest injury update on Hornets’ star ahead of matchup (23rd March 2023)

Fans will not see LaMelo Ball playing tonight as he's forced to watch the Hornets showdown with the New Orleans Pelicans from the sidelines.

After going down in late February with an ankle injury sustained in a win over the Detroit Pistons, the Charlotte Hornets set their sights on Ball's future. The team is both focused on getting their star guard healthy for the upcoming season, and improving their odds in the draft lottery.

Fortunately for the Hornets organization, Ball will be healthy enough to suit up come training camp time for next season.

The ankle fracture is the latest injury in a long line of injuries Ball has sustained in recent years. This season alone, Ball has been listed on the injury report numerous times, with injuries mostly to his lower body. Back in early October, there were questions about his health going into the season as he dealt with an ankle injury.

The following month, again, Ball was dealing with more ankle injuries before then managing pain in his shoulder in late December. After celebrating the new year, Ball again dealt with ankle pain in mid-January before then suffering an ankle fracture in February.

This season saw Ball play in just 36 games, during which he averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game, and a career-high 8.4 assists per game.

You can see footage of the non-contact ankle injury in the video above.

What has LaMelo Ball said about the ankle injury as he prepares to return for next season?

Early this week, LaMelo Ball spoke to media members for the first time since undergoing season-ending surgery on his ankle. Given the number of injuries he's dealt with over his career, he seems to have his mind set on a return rather than dwelling on the remainder of this season.

He was quoted by NBA.com.

LaMelo Ball (Philadelphia 76ers v Charlotte Hornets)

“It’s tough. I mean probably annoying just going through it, but I’m still alive and stuff like that, so you can’t really be too mad. Just go through the rehab, do that whole process and try to come out on top.”

“Well we didn’t make no playoffs and so whether I played 36 games, 25 or 50, it doesn’t really matter. The fact that we didn’t make it… I mean, it’s just kind of getting ready for the next season now.”

Ball will be going through the steps to his return while his older brother, Lonzo Ball also gears up for a potential return. Of course, in the case of Lonzo, the road to recovery is much more of an unknown. Earlier this week, Lonzo Ball underwent a cartilage transplant in his knee to ease his ongoing pain.

As the Chicago Bulls front office is well aware, Ball is attempting to become the first person to ever successfully return from a cartilage transplant. The current expectation is that he will miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season.

Below you can see a breakdown of the surgery Lonzo Ball recently underwent.