Lonzo Ball Sparks NBA Retirement Confusion, Then Backtracks
The 28-year-old free agent initially suggested his career might be over before clarifying he is still seeking a new team.
NBA player Lonzo Ball inadvertently caused confusion among fans by appearing to announce his retirement from the league, only to later deny the reports and state he is "still waiting for a call." The 28-year-old free agent made comments on the "Ball in the Family Podcast" that suggested his basketball career might be concluding.
Ball, who was the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, discussed the knee injuries that have impacted his career. "To be honest, I don’t think I ever got to my peak," he stated on the podcast. He reflected on his nine years in the league, expressing gratitude for his time playing professional basketball and the financial success it brought, with an estimated career earnings of $123 million.
"Your game changes. You see where you're supposed to be and you physically can't get there. You gotta be comfortable with yourself, to be honest with you," Ball said, detailing the challenges of physical limitations. He added, "I still got to make it up there and got to play and put the jersey on and do everything I wanted to do as a kid, so that was enough for me to be happy."
These remarks circulated widely on social media, leading many to believe Ball was signaling the end of his NBA tenure. However, the player clarified his situation on Wednesday.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ball wrote, "I retired? News to me lol cuz I’m still waiting for a call… NBA season long." Ball is the older brother of Timberwolves player LaMelo Ball.
Ball's most recent NBA team was the Cleveland Cavaliers. Prior to that, he played for the Chicago Bulls, and earlier in his career, he spent two seasons each with the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans. His career has been marked by numerous injury setbacks.
