LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets Sued by Mother Claiming Ball Ran Over and Broke Her Son’s Foot

LaMelo Ball has made headlines this season, but not often for his on-court performance. Sidelined for most of the season due to injury, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller have tried to lead the way for the Charlotte Hornets. Off the court, Ball is well-known for his car collection. After games, fans often gather around the player parking deck, hoping to catch a glimpse of the players leaving and maybe snag an autograph or a picture.

Ball’s cars and his reckless driving have gone viral multiple times over the past few seasons. According to an investigative report from Charlotte ABC affiliate WSOC, an incident involving Ball occurred on October 7th of last year as fans waited for players to come out.

Tamaria McRae claims that her son, who admired Ball, began expressing his admiration as he approached Ball’s car. She says that as Ball sped off without signing autographs or acknowledging the group, her son went down. Initially, she thought he had dropped something, but it turned out he was reaching for his foot after Ball ran over it, breaking it.

“This is his hero, his idol, and he got run over by him,” their lawyer, Cameron DeBrun told the WSOC. They said they would have filed a claim with Ball’s insurance to pay his medical bills, however, the police report does not include Ball’s insurer and not even his name. 

McRae insists this is not a money grab; they are also suing the Charlotte Hornets. She believes the Hornets should have had better safety measures in place for both fans and players during the annual Purple and Teal Day. A sincere apology and assistance with medical bills could help resolve the situation.

As a franchise cornerstone, Ball needs to be more aware of how his actions could have costly effects on his brand and his team.