Charlotte Hornets Star Ready For Long-Awaited Return

It's been a rough go for the Charlotte Hornets this season, most notably due to the absence for all but three games of their All-Star and team leader LeMelo Ball. But his return is apparently upon us once again. 

Updated: LaMelo is available to play tonight and looking forward to his return.

"Yeah, I feel great," he told @theobserver, "ready to get back out there and just hopefully get it going." https://t.co/TIkDjZO9yh

— Rod Boone (@rodboone) December 14, 2022

He's listed as active for tonight and will play. "Yeah, I feel great," he said, "ready to get back out there and just hopefully get it going."

Ball has missed 11 games with a left ankle sprain. The 21-year-old also missed the first 13 games of the Hornets’ season due to the left ankle sprain, came back for three games, then re-injured it and has been out ever since. The Bugs are obviously struggling without him, with a 7-20 record, the 2nd-worst mark in the NBA. 

In those three games that he did play, Ball averaged 19.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds, numbers pretty much in line with his season averages from last year, when he received his first All-Star nod in just his 2nd season.

Terry Rozier has handled most of the point guard duties during Ball's absence. LaMelo's return would allow Rozier to move back to his more natural shooting guard spot.

Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports