LaMelo Ball making one big change to combat injuries

Dec 23, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) reacts against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. The Hornets defeated the Lakers 134-130. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After missing 106 total games to injury over the last two seasons combined, LaMelo Ball is taking action.

The Charlotte Hornets star Ball was spotted this week wearing ankle braces during an offseason practice at the team facility. The move comes after Ball missed the vast majority of last season due to another ankle problem.

Ball is already an All-Star at 22 years old, but his inability to stay healthy is what has gotten in his way through four career NBA seasons. He fractured his ankle in Feb. 2023 and missed the rest of the 2022-23 season as a result. Ball then suffered a severe sprain to the same ankle last November, missed a month-and-a-half, returned for a handful of games, but never really got past it and was shut down for the year in January.

The former No. 3 overall pick Ball noted several months ago that he has never worn ankle braces up to this point of his NBA career because he has never found anything that is comfortable enough to play in. But it looks like Ball is finally giving it a legitimate try, which is good news for both him and the Hornets (considering the eye-popping money that they just gave Ball in an extension last year).