Bulls' Lonzo Ball Says He Still 'Can't Run or Jump' Before Surgery on Knee Injury

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball revealed the extent of his knee issues in Tuesday's Zoom press conference.

"I still can't play basketball," Ball said. "I can't run or jump."

The injury is also affecting his normal activities outside of basketball.

"It's every day," he added. "Even going up stairs and stuff, it's still painful."

The Bulls announced in September that Ball would undergo an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee and be reevaluated in four to six weeks, which all but ruled out his chances of playing in the Oct. 19 season opener against the Miami Heat.

Health concerns have become a reality for Ball since he joined the Bulls ahead of the 2021-22 season. He played just 35 games in his first campaign with the team thanks to a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery.

The 24-year-old was expected to return ahead of the playoffs, but Chicago announced it shut him down in April because he "continues to experience pain with high-level physical activity."

The continued health issues for the UCLA product have been particularly disappointing for the Bulls. They looked like a true contender last season when he was on the floor, but they fell to the No. 6 seed and lost in the first round when he was out.

Chicago can still turn toward Coby White, Alex Caruso, Goran Dragić and Ayo Dosunmu in the backcourt when Ball is out, but it is far better suited to compete in the Eastern Conference when he is on the floor hitting from deep and facilitating for others.