Bulls’ Lonzo Ball Offers Bold Statement About Playing Future

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball is not giving up on his once-promising career. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft is set to miss his second consecutive full season as he recovers from yet another knee surgery.

Ball underwent a cartilage transplant in March and is about halfway through that rehab process. It was the third knee procedure that he has undergone in just over a year’s time and he has already been ruled out for the 2023-24 campaign.

Despite the bleak outlook, Ball has no plans to call it a career. During the Bulls’ Media Day to kick off training camp, he revealed that he has plans to play in the NBA again despite all of the recent setbacks.

“I definitely plan on playing again,” Ball told reporters at media day. “After surgery three, I feel like it’s going well so far — no setbacks. So for me, it’s just keep my head up, just keep doing the work.”

The last time we saw Ball on the court was January 14th, 2022. At the time, Chicago was among the best teams in the NBA with him making a dominant trio along with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Since he got hurt, however, the Bulls haven’t been the same.

NBA INJURY NEWS & RUMORS: Lonzo Ball & Chicago Bulls Updates

Ball is an elite playmaker who worked tirelessly to improve his jump shot, becoming a respectable 3-point shooter. He is also an elite defender, using his size and length to bother opposing point guards and being a pest in the passing lanes.

Despite what would have been the start of his seventh season in the NBA, Ball still has youth on his side. Turning 26 later in the month, his age is a big reason that he believes he can get back on the court.

“I couldn’t control getting hurt or not getting hurt or anything like that,” he said. “It’s just something that happened to me, part of my career.

“I try to stay positive. I don’t look at the negatives. I try to think about what I can do to get better and that’s how I wake up every day and live.”

NBA INJURY NEWS & RUMORS: Lonzo Ball & Chicago Bulls Updates

The plan right now is for Ball to split his time between Chicago and back home in Los Angeles. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game and hopefully, he is able to get back on the court eventually and get his career back on track.