LONZO Ball is calling time on his NBA career at just 28 years old, ending a nine-season journey that was repeatedly disrupted by serious knee problems.
Ball, who last played in the NBA during the 2025-26 season, said he never felt he reached his full potential before injuries changed the course of his career. The NBA lists him at 28 years old and credits him with 252 career games across the Lakers, Pelicans, Bulls and Cavaliers.
“I don’t think I ever got to my peak, and damn, that sh*t sucks, but at the same time there’s people that don’t have meals at night to eat. That’s how I look at the world,” he said.
The former No. 2 overall pick entered the league with enormous expectations after being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017.
Ball later suited up for the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, but his career was derailed by persistent left knee problems. He missed the entire 2023-24 season following knee surgery and continued to deal with injury management afterward.
Despite the difficult ending, Ball said he remains grateful for the opportunity to play in the NBA.
At only 28, the decision brings to a close the playing career of one of the league’s most heavily scrutinized young guards, whose potential was never fully realized because of injuries. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
