Most fans of the NBA know who Lonzo Ball is. He is the eldest of the three ball brothers who took over the nation as a group when they were balling out in high school together. Now, each brother has found their way to the NBA, though LiAngelo Ball struggled to make a splash in both the NBA and the G-League. He now plays for Astros de Jalisco in Mexico.
The oldest of the Ball brothers seemed destined to do well in the league. Although his youngest brother, LaMelo, seems to be in the main spotlight, Lonzo, the Los Angeles Lakers’ overall pick in the 2017 draft, has been a very consistent player. However, he has not stepped onto an NBA court since January 14th, 2022.
The Injury That Halted Lonzo Ball’s Career
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It started with his stint with the Lakers where Ball tore his meniscus for the first time in 2018. After this, everything went downhill. Every season he would have some sort of injury holding him back for short periods of time.
He had multiple small injuries when he played for the New Orleans Pelicans that included his thumb, knee, hip, and adductor. All of these were considered minor. However, with the Pelicans fighting for a play-in spot, his thumb sprain kept him sidelined. They ended up missing the play-in and Ball would find himself being shipped to the Chicago Bulls.
While on the Bulls, Lonzo Ball seemed to be doing okay minus a positive COVID-19 test, which was happening to a lot of players in the league. However, in a game against the Golden State Warriors Ball would tear his meniscus again and it would put his career to a grinding halt from 2022 to now.
Ball Updates NBA World on Injury
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On his podcast, The WAE Show, Lonzo Ball finally discussed exactly what was going on with his knee. After years of his team saying he was making progress the curtain was finally lifted a little on how bad the injury actually was.
Ball told listeners that it wasn’t just a simple tear. It was multiple tears over the years slowly building up and destroying his knee. He specifically stated that:
I had to get a new meniscus from a donor, I had to get a bone allograft and I had to get some new cartilage put in as well.
Lonzo Ball continued to state that the damage was so bad that there was no meniscus left, which meant bone-on-bone contact. This is the kind of injury that would retire a player. However, after discussing the details Ball made a shocking statement.
Ball Believes He Will Play Again
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During the podcast Lonzo Ball was asked if he thinks he will be able to start at the beginning of the 2024 season. He quickly responded with:
Yes, I firmly believe that. That’s the plan that I’m on and I haven’t had any setbacks so expect to play the first game.
Every word was said with confidence. Clearly, Lonzo’s surgeries and his new meniscus have brought him hope for his career. Many people online were shocked to hear this as NBA fans truly believed this man’s career was over. This is great news for fans, the Bulls, and Lonzo Ball.
About the Author
Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Her favorite sport to watch is basketball, but she also enjoys professional wrestling, soccer, and baseball. You can find her on X @edellapiana1 to check out more content.
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