Lonzo Ball has been off the action for a long time. The 26-year-old has had a rough time so far in his career. Coming into the league, Ball was expected to be a star one day. However, injuries keep Lonzo from his true potential.
Ball’s hype during the draft had reached its maximum level, as some projected him to become one of the greatest shooters. Lonzo’s shooting caught everyone’s eye when he first came into the league. His somewhat consistent shooting seemed decent in his rookie season.
What followed right from his rookie season would haunt him for years. Lonzo recorded three injuries in his first year. The injuries didn’t seem concerning as Ball would come back for his sophomore season with hopes to shine for his team. His hopes would be shattered again, with injuries keeping him on the bench yet again. Ball has missed quite a lot of games due to injury, as the amount of injuries does justify it.
Lonzo Ball has suffered more than two injuries each season
In his rookie season, Lonzo suffered left shoulder pain after playing his first 31 games for the Lakers. Less than a month later, Ball had a sore left knee which made him sit for 15 games. After his return, Ball would injure the same knee, but to his luck, the regular season came to an end.
In his rookie year, Lonzo suffered a total of three injuries, missing around 30 games. Entering his sophomore year, Ball had it going for more than half the season. Things seemed pretty healthy for Lonzo, though due to an ankle injury, Ball would sit out the rest of the season.
Having lost all hope in Lonzo, the Lakers traded him to New Orleans. Ball would start his third season with the Pelicans, but less than 10 games into the season, Lonzo would suffer an adductor injury. This was just a bump in the road for Ball, as he would come back after missing a few games and play the rest of the season.
The 2020-21 season was an uneven road for Ball. Lonzo would injure his knee, hip, and ankle, missing 27 games in that season. Things would start to get even worse, as during the 2021-22 season, Ball suffered yet another knee injury.
REPORT: The Bulls “privately” believe Lonzo Ball won’t ever play again 😳
(via @dan_bernstein) pic.twitter.com/PvlAgMxUmE
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 28, 2023
In his last game against the Warriors in January 2022, Ball severely injured his knee which led to several surgeries. He hasn’t returned to action since then. Lonzo has missed around 312 games due to injuries while sitting on the Bulls’ bench in 101 of them.
.@ZO2_ gives us an update on his recovery ❤️! pic.twitter.com/Ts9K8jTkJq
— The WAE Show (@TheWAEShow) May 14, 2024
In May 2024, Lonzo revealed that he was about “70 percent” done with the road to recovery. He mentioned that his goal is still to return to the NBA court, and is hopeful of seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.