NBA star LaMelo Ball set to play against the Houston Rockets in Thursday night’s game after he remained uninjured after getting into a car accident in Charlotte on February 18, 2026.
The crash happened in Uptown Charlotte at the corner of Tryon Street and Trade Street. His custom Hummer hit the front left wheel of a Kia sedan while he was trying to make a left turn from Trade onto Tryon.
Reports say the driver of the Kia ended up in the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. People at the scene saw LaMelo get out of the Hummer from the driver’s side after everything happened.
He then left the area in a Lamborghini once police showed up. Pictures from the crash show the Hummer missing its front left wheel completely.
It is still not fully confirmed that he was the one driving at the time of the accident but everything points in that direction from what witnesses and footage described.
This is not the first time questions have come up about LaMelo and his driving in Charlotte. Back in 2024 there was a video compilation that showed him making some sharp turns and going through red lights while pulling out of the Spectrum Center parking garage.
Those clips got a lot of attention and people talked about whether his driving style was too risky.
Even with the crash LaMelo was not listed on the Hornets injury report before their game on Thursday night against the Houston Rockets.
That means the team expects him to be ready and play as usual. The accident didn’t keep him sidelined and he should be on the court tonight like normal.
Right now LaMelo is in his sixth season with the Charlotte Hornets. His minutes are down to around 27.7 per game which is the lowest of his career so far.
His scoring average sits at 19.3 points and he is averaging 7.4 assists both numbers lower than most of his earlier seasons going back to his rookie year.
Still he is looking good in one big way this season because he is on track to play in at least 50 games for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
Staying healthy and available has been a challenge for him in the past but things are lining up better this year. The good news for Hornets fans is that the car accident didn’t cause any setbacks.
LaMelo avoided getting hurt and the team has cleared him to play tonight against Houston. Everyone will be watching to see how he performs after what happened but all signs say he will be out there on the floor when the game tips off.
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