It’s unclear when Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball will make a return to an NBA court, as he is set to miss the entire 2023-24 campaign following a third surgery on his left knee earlier this year.
However, he recently assured that he is “going to play again.”
Lonzo Ball, speaking at Invest Fest in Atlanta on Saturday, insisted he will recover from his knee surgery and return to basketball in the near future.
“I’m going to play again,” Ball said.
Story posting soon @TheAthletic pic.twitter.com/EvgQNybSj5
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) August 27, 2023
The 25-year-old playmaker has had an unfortunate NBA career so far. While the talent is evident, his inability to stay healthy has prevented him from proving that he was worthy of the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft. In his five seasons in the league, the highest number of games he has appeared in is 63, which took place in the 2019-20 campaign.
So far, he has career averages of 11.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists per match. Those are solid numbers at best. But he was on his way to showing that he was past the dramas, such as being ridiculed for his shooting form and the controversies his father had been involved in, that initially surrounded his career.
After landing on the Bulls in the 2021 offseason, he finally thrived and displayed inspiring chemistry with the team’s stars, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. In fact, Chicago looked like a playoff squad in the 2021-22 season with a healthy Ball manning the point.
The organization even held the top seed in the Eastern Conference when it was announced that he had to undergo surgery on his left knee, which was supposed to sit him out for just several weeks. As it turned out, Ball would miss the rest of the season and the 2022-23 campaign.
The Bulls record with/without Lonzo Ball, last 2 seasons#BullsNation pic.twitter.com/z1nGeEkwnE
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) February 1, 2023
The University of California, Los Angeles product recently found himself in a back-and-forth with notable media personality Stephen A. Smith, who said earlier this month that he felt sad for Ball and reported that the guard couldn’t even stand up from a sitting position. That led to Ball defending himself and calling out Smith on X (formerly Twitter.)
@stephenasmith come to the actual source next time. I’m not hard to reach pic.twitter.com/88xyoB7LTf
— Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_) August 22, 2023
However, instead of letting things go, the analyst went on the offensive, reminding Ball that he “ain’t healthy,” and for some reason, threatening to disclose the names of the doctors who operated on him.
Stephen A. Smith respond to Lonzo Ball’s video:
“You really going to sit poolside on the bench and think because you getting up and sitting down… that makes you healthy? … Bro, you ain’t healthy.” pic.twitter.com/mQVdi9Qpp9
— BullsMuse (@BullsMuse_) August 23, 2023
Stephen A Smith talks about Lonzo ball calling him out
“Would you like me to tell you the names of the doctors that operated on you? I know the actual Doctor’s…..if I said it it’s because someone close to you told me.” pic.twitter.com/dL275w71Nt
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) August 23, 2023
It remains to be seen if Ball will respond further. But hopefully he can come back with a clean bill of health next year.
