LaMelo Ball Hopes to Return to All-Star Level After Key Equipment Addition

LaMelo Ball is among the most exciting guards in the NBA. He puts on a show every time he’s on the court, but his injury issues have limited him to only 58 games over the past two campaigns. His ankle ailments have been the biggest concern and have sidelined him for extended periods. But he’s seemingly decided to take precautions to try and prevent any more ankle injuries.

Hornets fans have been begging Ball to use ankle braces to protect him from injuries for the past two years. And it appears that the 22-year-old has finally decided to heed this advice. In a clip posted on the Hornets’ official Instagram account, the young guard was seen sporting ankle braces.

After several fans questioned whether he’d be wearing it during games, NBA reporter Evan Sidery confirmed that he’s planning on trying it out in the upcoming campaign. He wrote on X,

“For the first time in his career, LaMelo Ball plans to wear ankle braces next season. Ball originally planned to wear them in 2023-24, but never felt comfortable with it before suffering another season-ending ankle injury. Charlotte has extremely high hopes for Ball staying healthy and playing at an All-Star level.”

Of course, this doesn’t guarantee that Ball will be healthy this upcoming season. The star also suffers from ankle tendinopathy, a condition that causes severe pain when the body part in question doesn’t get proper rest and medication.

However, the equipment does provide a chance for the Hornets star to get his career back on track. It worked for Stephen Curry, who suffered multiple ankle injuries in his first three seasons in the NBA.

After the 2011-12 season, where he was limited to only 28 appearances, the guard began playing with ankle braces and his injuries diminished. He’d go on to establish himself as one of, if not the greatest point guard in basketball history. The Hornets hope that Ball would enjoy a similar resurgence over the coming years.

The last time the young guard was healthy for most of the season, he earned his first All-Star nod. The 22-year-old is a stellar player and holds the key to Charlotte’s future. The franchise is trying to build a competitive roster around him, but their efforts would be futile if he cannot remain healthy.

Ball and the Hornets are working on every possible solution to eliminate his injury issues. Whether their latest experiment works remains to be seen.