The Charlotte Hornets and NBA superstar LaMelo Ball may soon be in civil hot water.
A woman is suing the NBA player and his team for a foot injury her son, who was 11 years old at the time, incurred in an alleged incident in October 2023.
The injury was allegedly sustained at a Hornets fan event dubbed “Purple and Teal Day at the Hive,” according to court filings recorded on May 21.
The mother, Tamaria McRae, claims her son, Angell Joseph, was waiting for Ball outside the employee door at Spectrum Center in downtown Charlotte when the athlete’s vehicle hit him, causing him “severe” injuries.
McRae claims the alleged assault occurred on October 7 when she was visiting the Hornets’ home arena. In celebration, the squad used the Spectrum Center to host its annual “Purple and Teal Day” event. As the players were heading out, a small group of spectators gathered outside the stadium.
Ball was one of McRae’s favorite players, and she and her son wanted to receive an autograph from the NBA great, according to McRae.
McRae added the Hornets in her complaint, claiming that the company should have been more careful to ensure the safety of its fans because the incident happened at a team event.
According to McRae, her kid fractured his foot while trying to get an autograph.
Quickly realizing her kid had sustained an injury, McRae saw him staring down at the floor. It took months for McRae’s kid to recover from the fractured foot.
According to the family’s lawyer, Cameron DeBrun, authorities omitted Ball’s identity and insurance information from the report.
Ball was selected third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and was a 2022 All-Star.
In 184 games played, he shot 42.7% from the field and 37.4% from outside the arc, averaging 20.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
The Hornets had a 21-61 record and were the 13th seed in the Eastern Conference last season.
Their most recent participation in the NBA playoffs was in 2016, and they have failed to make the cut for the last eight seasons.
