Lonzo Ball, who is a free agent point guard, averages 10.6 points and 5.6 assists in nine seasons playing in the NBA. But just one podcast video this week made basketball fans think that Ball’s career was over.

Ball cleared the air by talking to X following the spread of videos from his “Ball in the Family” podcast.

He posted on X, "I retired? News to me lol cuz I'm still waiting for a call… NBA season long," making clear he still wants to play.

The above reaction stems from some statements that Ball made during his Tuesday episode of the podcast, where he talked about his career, shaped by a horrific knee injury. During the podcast, he told Gilbert Arenas, a guest of his, that he had not realized his potential in the NBA.

Ball went on to explain more about that exact incident and how he has come to terms with the physical price of his profession.

"I feel like I gave everything I had to hoop and I feel like everything I got in my life is because of hoop," Ball said. "So I'm grateful to even make it to the league and even be able to play for nine years."

That appreciation came after years of setbacks due to injuries, which completely changed his path.

Lonzo Ball's Knee Injury History Explains Why Fans Assumed Retirement

Ball's knee problems started when he played for the Los Angeles Lakers in his rookie year, but the injury that ended his career came later when he signed a four-year contract worth $85 million with the Chicago Bulls because of a torn meniscus needing a cartilage transplant.

He explained to Arenas how it feels living with his knee on an everyday basis, saying, "I can play if I want to, but still got to deal with it every day," adding that his knee is already swollen because he played the previous day.

Ball's statistics have been indicative of his drop in play since coming back, putting up an average of 4.6 points and 20.8 minutes in a game last year while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers before getting waived by the Utah Jazz in February.

Nevertheless, Ball stated he still wishes to have a chance, ending his podcast with the statement that wearing an NBA jersey and living out his childhood dream was enough to make him happy, irrespective of whatever happens in his future career path.

Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta