LaMelo Ball Is Done Playing in the NBL

It was beautiful while it lasted.

LaMelo Ball, the presumptive next #1 NBA draft pick, will not appear in any further NBL games for the Illawarra Hawks.

The younger brother of NBA star Lonzo Ball joined the Hawks earlier this year as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program. However, after just playing 12 games, the 18-year-old suffered an injury that will cut short his time in the local league.

The Hawks announced in a statement that their star recruit will now move onto rehabbing the left foot bone bruise that has kept him off the court. They added he is "not expected to return to play before the end of the 2019/20 NBL season," and will instead continue rehab with the Hawks’ medical team.

Anyone holding out hope that LaMelo will stick around for the 2020/21 season in Australia can put those fantasies to bed right now. His stint with the Hawks was always a one-and-done deal, with Ball expected to go in the top three, at least, in the upcoming NBA draft. The Next Stars program has been promoted as an alternative to the single year of American college ball most draft hopefuls opt for. The signing of Ball, and RJ Hampton to the NZ Breakers, was considered a major coup for the code.

Nonetheless, NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger has called LaMelo Ball’s early exit "a shame".

"It's a shame for LaMelo as I'm sure he would have loved to join his team out there for the end of the season, especially as they have found some winning form of late," he said in a statement.
 
"It’s important that he makes a return to full fitness ahead of the NBA draft and we will do everything we can to support that and his aim to become the number one pick."

Despite being off the court, Ball recently donated a month of his salary to bushfire relief.

The Hawks, meanwhile, have failed to get off the bottom of the NBL ladder, with or without Ball (who became the youngest player to pull off a triple double in the local league). They’ll see out the season likely maintaining their wooden spoon status.

Here's to better times!

Header Image: Jaimi Chisholm / Stringer via Getty Images Sport