Injured LaMelo Ball won’t play again in Australia’s NBL

SYDNEY (AP) — LaMelo Ball’s bone bruise on his left foot is expected to keep him out of the Illawarra Hawks lineup for the remainder of the National Basketball League season in Australia.

The 18-year-old American, who joined Illawarra as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, is expected to be a first-round pick in this year’s NBA draft.

Ball averaged 17 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in 12 games. He averaged 31 minutes of playing time a game for the last-place Hawks, but hasn’t played since sustaining the injury in early December. The regular season ends in mid-February.

The club said the point guard will continue his rehabilitation to include court-based activity under the care of the Hawks’ medical team.