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NBA All-Star LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets could be facing a lawsuit. A mother is pursuing legal action against the NBA star and the franchise he plays for due to a foot injury her 11-year-old son suffered during an alleged incident in October 2023, according to a report from WSOC-TV.
Tamaria McRae claimed the incident in question took place during a visit to the Hornets home arena on Oct. 7. The team held its “Purple and Teal Day” at the Spectrum Center on that day. Some fans appeared to gather outside the arena as players were leaving.
McRae said Ball was one of her then-11-year-old son’s favorite players, and he hoped to get the NBA star’s autograph at the time.
“[Angell] was like, ‘LaMelo, I love you. I love you, sign my… give me your autograph. Can you sign it for me?'” McRae told the Charlotte television station.
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LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets dribble the ball up court during the first quarter of the game against the Washington Wizards at Spectrum Center on October 10, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
McRae said not only did her son fail to land an autograph, his foot was also apparently broken in the process. She pointed that finger at Ball, suggesting he drove over the child’s foot as he drove away.
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McRae noticed her son looking toward the ground, but she quickly realized her son had suffered some type of injury. McRae said that her son was eventually diagnosed with a broken foot, and the injury took months to heal.
LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA In-Season Tournament game against the Miami Heat at Spectrum Center on Nov. 14, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
Cameron DeBrun, the family’s attorney, said the police report did not include Ball’s name or his insurance details.
“Because that information was not provided, we only have one recourse and that’s the court system,” DeBrun said.
The family argued that the Hornets organization could have had additional security measures in place to improve fan safety, and therefore decided to add the team to the lawsuit.
Fox News Digital contacted the Hornets. A request for comment did not receive an immediate response. Ball has not pubically commented on the matter as of Tuesday.
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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
