25/06/2023
Lonzo Ball was supposed to be the next Magic Johnson. He even got drafted by Magic Johnson. Now, he may never play in the NBA again.
He last played on January 14, 2022, when he suffered a mysterious knee cartilage injury. Since then, itās been a dizzying journey for Lonzo:
šøHis knee didnāt respond to treatment
šøDiagnosed with a small meniscus tear
šøHad 1st knee surgery in Jan ā22
šøRuled out for rest of ā21-22 season
šøHad 2nd knee surgery in late ā22
šøRuled out for entire ā22-23 season
šøHad 3rd knee surgery in March ā23
šøJust announced heād miss the entire upcoming ā23-24 season
Thatās an injury timeline you see for battle-tested vet whose legs have long left. But Lonzo?
Heās only 25 years old.
If his story sounds familiar, itās because it is.
Back in 2007, a promising guard, who was a top 10 draft pick, won Rookie of the Year. He was an All-Star the next season, and looked every bit like the next big thing.
Then came the dark days. In 2008, he had a procedure to remove cartilage from his knee. In 2010, he tore his meniscus and needed surgery. In 2011, he had arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees.
Without any cartilage left, his knees soon gave out on him. And at 27 years old, Brandon Roy was forced to retire.
Lonzo Ball may be facing a similar decision. Heās one of the most versatile, selfless and high-IQ players in the NBA. But considering the earliest he could play again would be October 2024, a lot more can go wrong before he gets right.
The perfect Hollywood story is headed toward a tragic endingā¦š„ŗ