Bold headline: LaMelo Ball cleared to play after car crash, as Hornets ride hot stretch into battle with the Rockets — but questions linger about safety and impact.
But here’s where it gets controversial: even though Ball is not on the injury report and is expected to start, the incident raises important concerns about whether players should suit up so soon after a crash, and how teams balance urgency with long-term health.
Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is not listed on the team’s injury report and is expected to play Thursday night against the Houston Rockets, just a day after being involved in a two-car collision in Charlotte. The Hornets have surged lately, winning 10 of their last 11 games, with Ball playing a pivotal role in this breakout run.
Footage from WSOC-TV in Charlotte appears to show Ball driving through an intersection when his camouflage-colored, custom-made Hummer collided with another vehicle. The video later shows Ball exiting his vehicle in an aqua Hornets hoodie and moving into another car before being escorted away. Police were present at the scene, though a formal police report has not yet been released.
There is no public information about the other driver involved in the crash, though the footage indicates the other motorist exited his car and approached Ball’s vehicle after the collision. One image from the scene shows Ball’s Hummer with a missing left front tire, a detail that underscores the seriousness of the impact.
This incident adds to Charlotte’s unfortunate history with car crashes involving notable athletes. Notably, former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton suffered a fractured back in a 2014 crash not far from where Ball’s accident occurred, and Panthers backup quarterback Andy Dalton was involved in a two-car collision in 2024, resulting in a thumb injury. The Hornets also carry the memory of Bobby Phills, a former guard who died in a car crash after a practice on January 12, 2000.
Original source: AP News
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