Lamelo Ball injury update: Charlotte Hornets star reportedly out for the whole season after ankle fracture

During the Charlotte Hornets' matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, LaMelo Ball suffered a non-contact injury to his right ankle. It happened while he was attempting a crossover and stepped awkwardly.

Ball left the game and never returned. Shortly after, it was reported that he had suffered a fracture in his ankle. Shams Charania of The Atheltic has now reported that LaMelo Ball will be out for the rest of the season.

This has been a season to forget for the Charlotte Hornets guard as he has missed the majority of the year due to injuries. In the 36 games he played in, Ball averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists.

LaMelo Ball injuries completely derailed the Hornets' season

As the team's best player, being without Ball for so long this year completely changed things for the Charlotte Hornets. Instead of competing for a spot in the play-in tournament, they now find themselves near the bottom of the standings.

Before the season began, LaMelo Ball was on the fast track to being one of the top point guards in the league. At the age of 20, he averaged 20.1 points and 7.6 assists while earning an All-Star nomination. Unfortunately, he was unable to build on that momentum this year.

The former No. 3 pick was great when he played, but just couldn't string things together this season. That being said, the Hornets should not be concerned going forward. Seeing that Ball is only 21-years-old, he'll heal fine and be back at 100% before the start of next year.

Right now, the Hornets sit at 14th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-43. Only the Detroit Pistons (15-47), have a worse record than them. With a playoff spot long out of reach, the rest of this season will likely gear towards development for younger players.

Given their current situation, the Hornets now find themselves in an interesting situation. If they continue to lose games, they'll have some of the highest odds entering the draft lottery. Losing Ball for the year is a tough blow, but it now puts them in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. Having a high draft pick this year could help them find a co-star for Ball when he returns next year.