LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets are at the center of a new lawsuit filed in North Carolina ... after a woman claims her 11-year-old son tried to get an autograph from the NBA star, but was left with a bad injury instead.
The alleged incident went down on October 7 after the Hornets were beaten by the Boston Celtics at Spectrum Center in Charlotte ... when Angell Joseph waited near the player exit, hoping to get a moment with the 22-year-old hooper.
Instead of stopping and signing for the young fan, Angell's mom, Tamaria McRae, says LaMelo just drove off ... and in the process, ran over her son's foot, breaking it.
McRae says the injuries weren't just physical -- she claims her son experienced depression after the alleged accident.
“This is his hero, his idol, and he got run over by him,” family attorney Cameron DeBrun told WSOC in the Queen City.
Now, months later, the family is taking the matter to court ... claiming Angell suffered injuries and damages totaling more than $25K (the exact amount isn't specified).
It's worth noting there are multiple videos of Ball on social media that show the All-Star leaving the arena like a bat out of hell -- although each clip shows barriers meant to keep fans out of the players' way.
Once again, another stupid example of not being a role model as NBA's LaMelo Ball drives at high speeds out of the arena to impress fans and blatantly runs a red light on video. pic.twitter.com/BdAfMBQQ3f
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) December 17, 2023
Still, momma McRae is pointing a finger at the Hornets ... saying the organization could've done more to protect fans.
Ball has not yet publicly addressed the lawsuit.