What Happened on the Court
The incident occurred late in the second quarter on February 1, 2026. LaMelo Ball was chasing a loose ball heading out of bounds near the Hornets’ bench.
In a full-sprint effort to save the possession, he dove and crashed head-first into the legs of Hornets head coach Charles Lee, who was standing near the sideline.
He was eventually helped to his feet and, after a brief assessment by team medical staff, was escorted directly to the locker room for further evaluation. He did not return to the game.
The Immediate Aftermath and Concern
The primary concern is for a potential concussion. The mechanism of injury a direct, forceful impact to the head is classic for such an injury.
The Hornets’ medical team will follow the NBA’s concussion protocol, which involves a series of tests and assessments. Ball will need to be symptom-free and pass these tests before he is cleared to return to basketball activities.
The collision with Coach Lee was accidental and purely a result of Ball’s all-out hustle. Charles Lee was understandably shaken after the play, immediately checking on his star player.
The Hornets organization and fans are now in a wait-and-see mode, hoping the injury is not serious and that Ball’s trademark energy and playmaking will be back on the court soon.
I’ll keep an eye out for official updates from the Hornets regarding LaMelo’s diagnosis and potential timeline. In the meantime, is there another NBA storyline you’d like me to follow or explain?