Top NBA prospect LaMelo Ball has ended his season in the Australian NBL due to a bone bruise suffered in early December, his manager Jermaine Jackson told ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Thursday.
The Illawarra Hawks have six games remaining in the regular season and Ball would be unable to complete his rehab before the campaign concludes on Feb. 14th.
"Melo's foot is totally healed, but the doctor's policy is if you're out for six weeks, you must rehab for six weeks," Jackson said. "He's starting court work tomorrow."
Ball and fellow top-ranked recruit RJ Hampton opted to play in the Australian professional league rather than take the traditional college route. Both players joined the NBL through its "Next Stars" program, which targets NBA draft-eligible players and reportedly offers $100,000 per year.
In June, Ball signed a two-year contract - including NBA opt-out clauses - with the Hawks. He quickly took the league by storm with his combination of size and playmaking at the point guard position.
Ball averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, seven assists, and 1.6 steals in 31.2 minutes per game during his brief stint. In November, he became the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double.
The 18-year-old is the younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and is widely expected to be among the top picks in this year's draft.
