CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball had successful surgery in New York City on Tuesday to repair his fractured right wrist.
A statement from the Hornets said Ball’s injury will be reevaluated in four weeks. The statement did not address whether Ball is out for the rest of the season.
Team personnel have prepared for that possibility — that the wrist fracture Ball suffered against the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday will in all likelihood end his season.
The surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City by Dr. Michelle Carlson.
Ball, the front-runner for NBA Rookie of the Year, had an MRI Sunday in San Antonio that detected the bone break.
Ball took a hard fall in the first half of Saturday’s road loss to the Clippers. An X-ray at the arena at halftime of that game revealed no fracture. Though Ball was favoring his right hand during the game and appeared to be in discomfort, he started the second half with a wrap on his wrist.
Hornets coach James Borrego limited Ball to about 8 1/2 minutes in the second half of that game. With Ball out, Borrego moved point guard Devonte Graham back into the starting lineup for Monday’s road victory over the Spurs.
“I feel horrible for LaMelo more than anything,” Borrego said Monday of the implications of Ball’s injury. “He’s going to be our biggest cheerleader (while injured). He’s a curious young man who wants to be great.”
Ball has been dominant among NBA rookies this season, at or near the lead in most statistical categories. He won the first two Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards and became the youngest player in NBA history, at 19, to assemble a triple-double.
