Lonzo Ball Reiterates He's 'Not Retired' from NBA in New Video, Provides Update After Injury Rehab

Lonzo Ball has yet to be signed by an NBA team as the season approaches, but the point guard made it clear that he isn't retiring.

After pushing back on retirement buzz last week, Ball once again clarified that he's still looking to continue his NBA career on the Ball in the Family podcast, though he admitted that his surgeries have taken a toll on him.

"I feel like anybody who's been through a major surgery, you ain't never gonna get back to where you're supposed to be," Ball said (2:14 mark). "... I don't got much to say about it though. I'm not retired... I'm still in the gym. Just waiting."

On last week's episode of Ball in the Family, Ball made comments that suggested he was ready to call it a career.

"I feel like I gave everything I had to hoop, and I feel like everything I got in my life is because of hoop," he said (54:00 mark). "I'm grateful to even make it to the league and be able to play for nine years."

His comments understandably sparked speculation about his retirement, but he rebuffed the rumors on social media.

Unfortunately for Ball, his career has been defined by persistent knee injuries. After being drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, he suffered a sprained MCL halfway through the year, starting a trend of knee ailments that followed him for several years.

He put together a few solid seasons with the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans before injuries started to take a much bigger toll.

After signing with the Chicago Bulls ahead of the 2021-22 season, Ball suffered a torn meniscus that ended his season after just 35 games. He then missed both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons because of ongoing knee injuries, including a cartilage transplant in March 2023 because there was nothing left of his meniscus and it was "bone-on-bone" in his knee.

Ball finally returned to the court during the 2024-25 campaign, but injuries limited him to just 35 games. He started last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers but was traded to the Utah Jazz halfway through the year, and he was waived before ever suiting up with them.

The best version of Ball was a solid scorer and a gifted passer, but fans haven't seen that version of him in years. Still, he's just 28 years old, so it's impossible to rule out an NBA comeback if he can get healthy.