Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball finally cleared health and safety protocols and was able to suit up against the Portland Trailblazers. Ball's last time on NBA floor came after a career night against the defending champions, Milwaukee Bucks. He put up a career-high in points and three-pointers made on December 2nd.
On the 17th against Portland, Ball dropped 25 points, five assists, and four rebounds in his return. That's pretty impressive for someone who hasn't touched a basketball in over two weeks. Fortunately, he was able to get back to the game he loves, but the Hornets fell to the Blazers 125-116.
In the press conference after the game, LaMelo Ball seemed thrilled just to be back on the floor. When he was asked about the hardest parts of his quarantine, he had a very honest answer.
“Honestly, just sitting around was the hardest part. Can't do nothing. Energy real low, head and everything tired and messed up. It was great to comeback. Sitting out and not touching a ball is horrible. Coming back and touching the ball is a blessing.”
That's about as real as it gets. His Hornets teammates are more than likely in agreement with him, since over half the roster missed about six to fourteen days for health and safety protocols. Not to mention that the whole league has had a sudden spike of cases pop up in several different cities. When some players return from Covid, they normally struggle to find their rhythm. Joel Embiid admitted that he wasn't 100 percent when he returned earlier this season and he had some awful games for a little while. Even LaMelo's teammate, Terry Rozier, is still trying to find his groove after returning a few days before Ball.
Thankfully, LaMelo seems just fine. He was kept up to speed by the team via Zoom for any changes to the team's schemes. Despite losing the second game of their six game road trip, the Hornets have gained their whole roster back for the first time in two weeks. Their star 20-year-old rookie is ready to give the league hell again after trading baskets with Damian Lillard. Hopefully the Hornets can just find their way into the win column next time.
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