Lonzo Ball‘s extended absence from the Chicago Bulls rotation has recently been a hot topic. The talented playmaker has been ruled out for the upcoming season as he continues to recover from a lingering knee injury. Since joining the Bulls, Ball has participated in a total of 35 regular-season games.
During a recent interview with Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Chicago’s big man, Nikola Vucevic, discussed Ball’s injury struggles and how hard he’s working to return to the court. Vucevic also noted how losing two years of his career would be a big blow to Ball due to the short nature of an NBA player’s time in the professional ranks.
“You feel for the guy. He’s such a good player. And to have to deal with all that, it’s very difficult,” Vučević said. “I mean, he’s been very positive about it. He keeps trying to find ways to get back on the floor. There’s a lot of stuff people can’t see. You can’t see him do rehab. You can’t see all the stuff that he does to get back on the court,” Vučević continued. “I mean, injuries are the worst part of being a player. You want to play. You want to be out there. Our careers, they’re longer now, but they’re still short. And for him to lose two years, two-and-a-half, it’s a big deal.”
Without Ball, the Bulls are unlikely to challenge for a championship in the coming season. Chicago’s roster was designed with the playmaker at the heart of their offense. However, fans will likely be hoping that Ball can recover at some point during the season and make his return in time for the playoffs, although that does seem unlikely at this point.
