Video: Hornets' LaMelo Ball Gifts Drake's Son Adonis a Signed Jersey
March 4, 2024
Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball presented a signed jersey to a notable fan ahead of his team's clash with the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.
Ball gifted the jersey to Adonis Graham, the six-year-old son of five-time Grammy Award-winning rapper Drake.
Drake's support of the Raptors has been well-documented, with the musician joining Toronto's broadcast on several occasions during the past few years. His love of basketball appears to be shared with his son, although Adonis seems to favor a certain Hornets All-Star.
The connection between the two goes far back. Adonis drew a picture of Ball back in 2023, which was posted to his father's Instagram story. The point guard responded by sending Adonis a pair of his signature Puma shoes (h/t HipHopDX on X).
Ball wasn't able to play on Sunday, however. He's missed 18 consecutive contests due to an ankle injury and has only appeared in 22 total games during his 2023-24 campaign. Head coach Steve Clifford did not have a timetable for his return when speaking to reporters on Thursday.
"He's doing the same stuff now he was doing two weeks ago," Clifford said, per James Plowright of Sports Illustrated. "He does whatever they [Charlotte's medical team] allow him to do...He wants to be back, but again he doesn't feel healthy enough or comfortable enough to play... I know he wants to get back, there's just a lot of factors"
When healthy, Ball has showed off the slick passing and long-range shooting that has endeared him to fans such as Adonis. In his 22 starts, he averaged 23.9 points and 8.0 assists per game on 43.3/35.5/86.5 splits.
