Despite facing skepticism and doubts, Chicago guard Lonzo Ball is resolute in his belief that his basketball career is not over. He is doubling down on his comments about his future in the NBA.
A public debate between Ball and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith erupted when Smith claimed that Ball couldn’t stand from a sitting position. Ball responded by addressing Smith in a video, and since then, he has reaffirmed his intention to return to the NBA court.
“I’m going to play again,” Ball confidently stated during a panel discussion on Saturday. “The outside noise doesn’t bother me. The Stephen A. thing, he has a wide platform. And, to me, I just don’t appreciate someone putting out fake news like that. Especially someone of his stature that can touch a lot of people. It’s just putting out the wrong thing. But that’s beside the point.”
The 25-year-old acknowledges that it would be tempting to retire due to his lengthy time on the sidelines caused by his knee injury in January 2022. However, he is not giving up.
“You have to realize that it’s just part of life,” Ball reflected. “Life is not easy. And, if you want to get the most out of it, you gotta put yourself forward and put your best foot forward. So, for me, even when I get knocked down, you gotta get back up every time if you want to keep going. You can always quit and take the easy way out and hide and go to the side. But for me, if you want to get to a place that I want to get to, you just got to get back up, and dust off, and keep going.”
It has been confirmed that Ball will miss the entire 2023-24 season due to his knee injury. However, he remains determined and not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
Image Source: Lonzo Ball @ Instagram
