Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was reportedly involved in a two-car accident Wednesday afternoon in Uptown Charlotte at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Street. The incident, first reported by Joe Bruno of WSOC-TV 9, included a shared video of the crash circulating on social media. According to reports, one person suffered minor injuries, though specific details regarding the injured party remain undisclosed as of 5:24 p.m. ET.
Photos emerged showing LaMelo exiting the driver’s seat of his vehicle, but the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not officially confirmed who was driving or the circumstances leading to the crash. The incident occurred shortly after the Hornets concluded practice and provided media availability ahead of their upcoming game against the Houston Rockets, scheduled for Thursday.
The accident did not take place during the game context but raised concerns about LaMelo’s preparedness for the match. Although Charlotte has yet to release their injury report for the game, there are expectations about player availability. Coby White, acquired from the Chicago Bulls in a recent trade, is anticipated to make his debut soon, possibly in the same matchup against Houston.
This season, LaMelo Ball has showcased resilience, making appearances in 45 games and averaging 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 40% from the floor and 36% from three-point range. After dealing with an ankle injury earlier in the season, he has maintained a steady presence on the court, contributing effectively to the team’s performance without bearing the entire offensive burden, thanks to the support from teammates such as Brandon Miller and rookie Kon Knueppel.
As the Hornets prepare for the upcoming game, the focus will be on both healing from the recent incident and capitalizing on their newly formed team dynamics. The game against the Rockets is set to tip off at approximately 7:10 p.m. ET and will be available for streaming on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, as well as on Sports Radio WFNZ, where fans can tune in to hear play-by-play commentary from Sam Farber.