Lakers Rumors: Lonzo Ball Has Torn Meniscus But Expected To Recover In Time For Training Camp

Matthew Moreno
4 Min Read
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

One reason for the optimism surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers heading into NBA free agency is the young core they’ve assembled through draft picks accrued over difficult seasons. Included in that is Lonzo Ball, who was selected No. 2 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Ball entered his rookie season facing lofty, if not insurmountable expectations. Not only was he a Southern California native playing for his hometown team, but his father, LaVar Ball, had drawn added attention to his son because of outlandish claims and predictions.

To his credit, Lonzo went about his first year with the Lakers in a professional manner. His play drew praise from the likes of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, among others.

But Ball’s rookie campaign ended in disappointment as he missed the final eight games and 35 of the final 51 due to injuries.

Injury woes aren’t yet behind the 20-year-old point guard, as he’s suffered a torn meniscus, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports:

One of the injuries Ball endured during the season was a left knee contusion on March 28. He downplayed the issue and expected to make a quick return to the court. An MRI on the knee did not reveal any structural damage.

But soreness and discomfort lingered, which led to the Lakers effectively shutting Ball down for the remainder of the season. Prior to that, he had also sustained a shoulder sprain and left MCL sprain.

Ball averaged 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals. Despite being limited to 52 games (50 starts), he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Ball finished the season tied for first among all rookies in steals, while ranking second in assists and fourth in rebounds. Furthermore, he tied James as the youngest player in NBA history with multiple triple-doubles in a single season.

Earlier this month it was reported Ball was administered a platelet-rich plasma injection into his left knee after keeping off the court for one month. Per reports relayed by Lakers head coach Luke Walton and teammate Kyle Kuzma, Ball had been working out in the weight room.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers games, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com