Bulls: Lonzo Ball To Miss 2023-24 Season For His Knee Rehab

The Chicago Bulls’ chief basketball officer, Artras Karniovas, made the most noise on an otherwise quiet draft night by announcing that Lonzo Ball will miss the 2023–24 season. What you need to know is as follows:

Ball had his right knee operated on a third time in 14 months in March to treat persistent pain.

Due to the injury, he missed the 2022–23 season, and with this most recent treatment — a cartilage replacement — there are doubts about whether Ball will ever play again.

Bulls: Lonzo Ball To Miss 2023-24 Season For His Knee Rehab

Chicago’s executive vice president of basketball operations, Artras Karniovas, confirmed such information at the NBA draft. From NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson:

“Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season,” Artūras Karnišovas told the media after the NBA draft on Thursday. “And he’s going to continue on his recovery. If he comes back, it would be great. But we’re just going to treat this offseason and getting ready for the season that he’s not going to be back next season…”

“He’s recovering nicely,” Karnišovas said Thursday night. “I think last month he got off the crutches. He’s recovering, doing his rehab, everything is going well. Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season. And he’s going to continue  on his recovery.”

Ball’s most recent procedure, a cartilage transplant, is a significant and essential step toward healing from his degenerative knee difficulties; no NBA player has ever played again after that procedure. Ball, who is 25 years old, wants to be the first. During surgery, cartilage is grown and implanted in the knee to repair the damaged areas.

“My main focus has been on returning to the court and getting to a place where I can rejoin my teammates,” Ball said in a statement from the team after his cartilage surgery in March.

“This has been a frustrating process, but I’m confident these next steps are the best path forward. The support of my family, friends, fans and medical staff throughout my recovery is what keeps me moving forward. I can’t wait to get back to what I love doing most – playing basketball.”

Ball was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He was acquired by the Bulls prior to the 2021–22 campaign.

Ball hasn’t played since he departed a game on January 14, 2022 because of knee pain. The ultimate diagnosis of that condition was a little meniscus tear.

In 252 career games, Ball averaged 11.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists.

 

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