Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball hasn’t had the best luck. In his first three seasons, he missed 65 games with myriad knee injuries. He’s missed the entirety of the last two seasons while trying to recover from another series of knee injuries. As he says on his podcast, What An Experience!, “Every time I catch my stride, something goes wrong.”
Lonzo Ball on himself before Covid-19 shut the league down in 2019-20:
“Every time I catch my stride, something goes wrong. That month before Covid, if you ask me, I think I’m the best point guard in the league.”
Lonzo in 5 games before the shutdown: 20.8 PPG, 7.8 APG, 7.8… pic.twitter.com/KYXZ1JBFAY
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) August 20, 2024
However, there were two seasons that Ball was relatively healthy. After the Los Angeles Lakers traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019, he only missed 26 games. Now in the Big Easy, Ball built his reputation as a high-level point guard at the NBA level.
So much so that the 26-year-old says, “that month before COVID, if you ask me, I think I’m the best point guard in the league.”
Bulls’ Lonzo Ball Makes Brow-Raising Proclamation
To Ball’s point, his blend of shot-making, playmaking, and defense doesn’t come around every day. Furthermore, in Mar. 2020, the former No. 2 pick averaged 20.8 points, 7.8 assists, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. On top of that, he shot 53.5 percent from the field and 51.2 percent from 3. So, him feeling like he was the best point guard in the league at that time is understandable.
Of course, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was the league’s golden boy at the time. A breathtaking perimeter threat, his proficiency from beyond the arc has changed the way the game is played. However, Ball’s passing ability and court vision are more advanced than Curry’s. His defense was —and perhaps still is —far and away better than Curry’s.
Still, that was the only month that Ball has averaged 20 or more points per game. The closest he’s come since then was averaging 19.2 points per game in May 2021. So, even if he was fully recovered from his knee injuries, it would be foolhardy to expect him to play that well when he returns.
On the bright side, Ball does look like he’s ready to play again. He took the latest step in his recovery this month, playing 5-on-5 in open runs.
Lonzo Ball , Jaren Jackson Jr, and Daniel Gafford spotted in LA open runs.
Via Chris Johnson pic.twitter.com/GL9n2ALAao
— HoopsWrld (@HoopsWrld0) August 20, 2024
The fact that he’s sharing the court with his peers shouldn’t be dismissed, even if it’s in an informal setting.
What’s Next For Lonzo Ball?
Whenever Ball returns next season, he’ll find that Josh Giddey has taken over as the starting point guard. At least, the job is Giddey’s to lose after the Bulls acquired him from the Oklahoma City Thunder, setting the stage for DeMar DeRozan’s exit. Should Giddey’s struggles with 3-point shooting and perimeter defense be too glaring, Ball may have his opportunity for redemption. It’s a long shot, but players like Shaun Livingston and Kris Dunn have shown why players can’t be counted out.
Whatever happens, it has to be quick. With his contract expiring next offseason, this could be his best opportunity to prove that he can continue his NBA career.
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