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LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during their game at Spectrum Center on January 21, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball was reportedly involved in a car crash on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Charlotte.
According to the Associated Press, Ball escaped the crash unscathed, but his custom-made Hummer sustained severe damage. Per video footage released by WSOC-TV and other Charlotte-based media outlets, the left front tire of Ball’s truck was missing after the crash, which took place shortly before 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
The clip below shows LaMelo Ball getting out of his car after the accident.
Another clip shows the condition of his custom-made Hummer after the crash.
LaMelo Ball Car Crash
An anonymous source confirmed to the Associated Press’ Steve Reed that Ball did not sustain any injuries. Because no police report had been filed at the time of the crash, the source was not authorized to discuss details of the accident.
Reed’s report revealed additional details of the crash:
“Ball appeared to be driving through an intersection when his camoflauge-colored, custom-made Hummer collided with another vehicle shortly before 5 p.m., according video obtained by WSOC-TV in Charlotte. The station later posted video of Ball, wearing an aqua-colored Hornets hoodie, getting out his truck and into another car before being driven away. Police were on the scene at the time.
“There was no information available on the person in the other car involved in the collision, although video showed that driver calmly get out of his car and begin walking toward Ball’s truck. Video showed the left front tire of Ball’s truck was missing.”
Hornets Resume NBA Season
It’s unclear whether Ball was driving home from the Hornets’ practice facility, but the star guard did attend a practice session earlier in the day, per reports.
The Hornets entered the All-Star break as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, having won 10 of their last 11 games, which includes impressive victories against the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers. Earlier in January, the Hornets also pulled off shocking upset wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers — all on the road.
Since the start of 2026, the Hornets rank third in WIN% (.682), second in offensive rating (119.5), fifth in defensive rating (109.7) and second in net rating (9.7). The red-hot streak means that Charles Lee’s team is just 4.5 games behind the sixth-seeded 76ers for the final guaranteed playoff berth. Even if the Hornets dont secure a top six seed, they’re almost a lock to participate in the play-in tournament this year.
In his latest NBA Power Rankings, Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney had the Hornets ranked 16th, above veteran teams like the Miami Heat, LA Clippers and Atlanta Hawks.
“Don’t look now but the surprise team that has caught fire in the Eastern Conference has been … the Charlotte Hornets,” wrote Deveney.
“The team has won 10 of its last 11 games and finds itself firmly in the East play-in tournament. Reminder: The Hornets have not been to the NBA playoffs in 10 years. Going back to a 150-point outing on January 10 against Utah, the Hornets are No. 2 in the NBA in offensive efficiency with a rating of 120.2.”
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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