Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball made his regular-season debut vs. the Miami Heat on Saturday night in a 132-115 loss.
Ball had missed the Hornets’ first 13 games this season with a left ankle sprain he suffered in a preseason game back on Oct. 10. He had 15 points, six rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes.
Ball won Rookie of the Year in his debut season and was named an All-Star in his sophomore campaign, when he averaged 20.1 points, 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds.
The Hornets have struggled in his absence, having dropped seven games in a row heading into Saturday’s tilt with the Heat. The loss drops them to 3-11 on the season.
Ball’s return comes after the Hornets lost swingman Caleb Martin for at least four weeks because of arthroscopic knee surgery. Gordon Hayward has also been out with a shoulder injury.