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Lonzo Ball Can’t Run Or Jump And Has Pain Going Up Stairs: “Even Doctors Are Surprised”
Lonzo Ball and Jayson Tatum were two of the top three draft picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. Both were great prospects with lots of potential coming into the NBA. But five years later, Tatum has clearly achieved more and separated himself from Ball.
Tatum, the former No.3 overall pick, is already a three-time All-Star and has already racked up plenty of playoff experience, including a Finals appearance and the first ever Eastern Conference Finals MVP award in NBA history.
Lonzo, who had massive hype entering the league, of course remains a valuable asset in the NBA. He offers a unique skillset that allows him to be impactful in all areas of the floor with a lot of untapped potential left. But unlike Tatum, Ball is yet to win notable accolades while lacking in postseason experience, also due to his constant injuries. Ball missed the final two months of the 2021-22 NBA season which also led to the Bulls stumbling down the stretch.
Injuries have always slowed down the promising career of the eldest Ball brother, and while the Bulls were hopeful to have Ball back for the start of the season, after his surgery last season, things do not look promising at all.
Ball, who will have a second surgery on his knee today, said he’s unable to run or jump on his knee currently and even still has pain walking up stairs. He said doctors are “a bit surprised” that he’s still struggling this much due to the injury.
Per NBC:
“Literally, I really can’t run. I can’t run or jump. There’s a range from, like, 30 to 60 degrees when my knee is bent that I have, like, no force and I can’t, like, catch myself. Until I can do those things, I can’t play,” Ball said. “I did rehab, it was getting better, but it was not to a point where I could get out there and run full speed or jump. So surgery is the next step.”
