The latest injury update on Lonzo Ball has come to light and it is safe to say that fans of the Chicago Bulls will not be pleased after learning the details. Lonzo originally suffered a torn meniscus in early 2022 and was only expected to miss out on a few weeks. However, after missing the remainder of the 2021-2022 season, the pass-first point guard missed the entirety of the 2022-2023 season and is also going to be out for the ongoing 2023-2024 campaign. As per the disappointing injury update, Zo is yet to start sprinting and NBA Twitter is blaming his father – LaVar Ball – for the same.
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According to Joe Cowley, Lonzo Ball was scheduled to begin sprinting by January. However, it’s been two months since and there aren’t any signs of the former UCLA Bruin doing so. Head coach of the Bulls Billy Donovon even commented on the same.
“I don’t know if he’s stuck,” Donovan said. “He is doing some shooting, some running, some jumping. He hasn’t done any sprinting yet, that I know.”
As soon as the details of the latest update went viral on social media, several users from NBA Twitter reacted to it. A majority of the users sympathized with the 26-year-old.
When I see amazing players have short careers due to injuries pic.twitter.com/iBE4rnSPEe
— Unnamed Las Vegas NBA team (@LasVegasNBAteam) February 28, 2024
I feel horrible for him man. You never wanna see a player end up like this♂️ pic.twitter.com/SCB3fNEYVc
— E-Man (@WigginsWick22) February 28, 2024
However, some users decided to pin LaVar Ball responsible for Zo’s gruesome injury.
I blame LaVar Ball for making that boy Hoop in Temu sneakers …
— TOO MUCH TOMMY (@TMuchtommy) February 28, 2024
Damn this what Lavar did to his children pic.twitter.com/OraMKZgATo
— (@imnotlazy22) February 28, 2024
Years before his children made it to the league, LaVar Ball began a sports apparel company called Big Baller Brand. As a rookie, Lonzo would wear BBB shoes. However, the $500 shoes would often “explode”, causing the guard to change multiple shoes during the course of the game. For getting his eldest son to put on those defective shoes, users on social media are blaming LaVar.
Lonzo Ball last played a game more than two years ago
Lonzo Ball was a crucial part of the Chicago Bulls team that was co-led by Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. With Zo as the starting point guard, the Illinois side was performing pretty well. However, their fine form only lasted 35 games when Zo was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee on January 14, 2022.
Initially in January 2022, the 6ft 6” guard had an arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. In September 2022, Zo underwent an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee.
Ball signed a four-year, $80 million contract extension in 2021. Despite having only played 35 games for the Chicago franchise, the Bulls have already paid him $58.6 million and owe him $21.4 million for the 2024-2025 season.
Even though some analysts have lost all hopes of Zo being an impactful player on a championship roster, optimistic fans hope that the #2 pick of the 2017 Draft can suit up soon.
