IT will come as a surprise to no one, but LaMelo Ball's time as an Illawarra Hawk is at an end with confirmed reports the prospective No. 1 NBA Draft pick won't feature in the NBL again.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 18-year-old phenom hasn't played for the Hawks since dropping consecutive triple-doubles against Cairns and New Zealand in November, with the club initially stating he would miss four weeks with a "sore foot."
Most suggested it would spell the end of his time in the NBL, with Fox Sports confirming the reports through Ball's manager Jermaine Jackson on Thursday evening.
Figures at the club initially held out hope that he would return but have been resigned to his departure for over a month as Ball spent less and less time with the team.
Coach Matt Flinn has given little away in response to repeated questions about Ball's slated return, with the club appearing largely in the dark over Ball's future for more than a month.
Ball has been a fixture on the Hawks bench in a moon boot but is reportedly facing another six weeks of rehab to bring his now healed foot injury back to game-ready fitness.
With just six games remaining for the Hawks, it saw the Ball team make the decision to end his time with the Hawks for whom he averaged averaged 17 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 12 games.
It's as yet unclear whether he'll remain in Wollongong for the Hawks final six games but a return to the US for pre-Draft camp is the more likely prospect.