Lonzo Ball’s Injury Timeline and Uncertain Comeback

For NBA fans who remember Lonzo Ball’s flashy debut with the Lakers in 2017, the sight of him in a Bulls jersey — and then, more often, in street clothes — has been a frustrating mystery. Over two years of silence, three surgeries, and one experimental meniscus transplant later, the question remains: will we see the old Zo back on the court? This article pieces together the timeline, the family legacy, and the cold financial reality behind one of professional sports’ most uncertain comebacks.

Position: Point guard ·
NBA team: Chicago Bulls ·
Birthdate: October 27, 1997 ·
Draft: 2017, 1st round (2nd pick), Los Angeles Lakers ·
Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) ·
Career stats (per game): 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists

Eight stats from Lonzo Ball’s career, one picture: a player who posted solid but unspectacular numbers before his body gave out.

Why is Lonzo Ball not playing in the NBA?

Lonzo Ball’s absence from NBA action stems from a series of debilitative knee injuries that began with a torn meniscus in 2021. Since then, he has undergone three surgeries, the most radical being a cartilage and meniscus transplant — a procedure so rare in professional basketball that it made headlines across the sports world. According to ESPN sports journalism authority, Ball himself revealed that he received a meniscus from a donor and that his knee was at about 70% during recovery updates in May 2024.

Lonzo Ball’s knee injuries and surgeries

The timeline of surgeries is precise:

• 2021: Torn meniscus in left knee — initially treated with arthroscopic surgery.
• 2022: Third knee surgery to address a bone bruise — ended his 2021–22 season and wiped out the entire 2022–23 campaign.
• March 16, 2023: The Chicago Bulls team official source announced Ball would undergo a cartilage transplant, which he later said also included a new meniscus and a bone allograft.

The procedure involved replacing damaged cartilage tissue with donor material — a method rarely used on active NBA players because of the lengthy and uncertain recovery. CBS Sports sports journalism authority reported in October 2023 that Ball said he was about halfway through rehab and still had a long way to go.

The implication: Ball’s medical journey is unprecedented in modern NBA history — a point guard betting his career on a procedure more common in aging recreational athletes than 26-year-old professionals.

Recovery timeline and return to play rumors

In October 2023, Ball told CBS Sports that he expected to be back for the 2024‑25 season. He made good on that promise: on October 16, 2024, he played 15 minutes in a preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 10 points and hitting two three‑pointers, per CBS News Chicago local news authority. Yet almost immediately, a right wrist sprain sidelined him for nearly a month. NBA.com league official reported on November 27, 2024, that Ball returned to the Bulls lineup after that injury. Despite the appearance of stability, the Chicago Tribune major metropolitan news noted in late December 2024 that he missed 15 games because of the wrist issue and remains limited to 20 or fewer minutes per game, with no back‑to-backs permitted.

How many children does Lonzo Ball have?

Lonzo Ball has one daughter, Zoey Christina Ball, born in 2018. The ESPN profile of Ball mentions his family life but does not detail other children. Public records and trusted sports biographies confirm no additional children.

Ball family tree overview

The Ball family entered public consciousness through LaVar Ball’s outsized personality. Three sons have pursued NBA careers:

• Lonzo Ball (born 1997) — second overall pick, now with Chicago Bulls.
• LiAngelo Ball (born 1998) — played overseas and briefly with the Charlotte Hornets in G League.
• LaMelo Ball (born 2001) — third overall pick in 2020, Charlotte Hornets star, Rookie of the Year.

LaVar Ball has no daughters. The family’s net worth dynamics often overshadow their personal lives.

Lonzo’s daughter Zoey

Zoey Christina Ball was born on January 6, 2018, to Lonzo Ball and his then-girlfriend Denise Garcia. Ball has been open about fatherhood in interviews but keeps his daughter largely out of the public eye. He has not commented on any other children.

What this means: Lonzo Ball’s personal life is small and private — a contrast to his father’s media circus.

Who is richer, LaMelo or Lonzo Ball?

The straightforward answer: LaMelo Ball holds a significantly larger contract and overall net worth.

• LaMelo Ball signed a rookie max extension worth $260 million, the richest contract in Charlotte Hornets history, per ESPN. Endorsements with Puma and merchandise from his own brand push his estimated net worth to around $100 million.
• Lonzo Ball signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Bulls in 2021. Before injuries, he had endorsement deals with Big Baller Brand (co-founded with his father) and later with various sportswear companies. His estimated net worth is roughly $50 million, but that figure has likely dropped as his playtime vanished.

LaMelo Ball net worth and contract

Spotrac salary data authority details LaMelo’s max extension at 5 years, $260 million. He also earns from his own clothing line, Puma signature sneakers, and a hosting role on a sports talk show. Net worth estimates from Celebrity Net Worth financial estimates tracker place him at $100M.

Lonzo Ball net worth and contract

Lonzo’s four-year $80M deal with the Bulls is his career peak salary. However, because he played only 35 games in the first two years of that contract, the Bulls traded him to the Utah Jazz in 2023 as a salary dump. He is still being paid by the Bulls’ insurance and Jazz. Basketball Reference statistical database notes his career earnings surpass $90M, but net worth is estimated lower due to taxes and agent fees.

Comparison of earnings and endorsements

While LaMelo cashed in on his rookie max potential, Lonzo’s injury derailed his peak earning window. Endorsements: LaMelo with Puma (estimated $50M+ over multi-years) vs. Lonzo’s declining Big Baller Brand pipeline. Forbes business/finance authority listed LaMelo among the highest-earning NBA players under 25, while Lonzo’s name has largely dropped off those lists.

Is LaVar Ball rich?

LaVar Ball is comfortable, but not ultra-wealthy. Estimates from Celebrity Net Worth financial estimates tracker place his net worth between $8 million and $12 million.

LaVar Ball’s net worth estimated

LaVar’s wealth comes primarily from his three sons’ basketball salaries and from Big Baller Brand, the apparel company he founded in 2016. The brand generated early hype but never reached mass-market scale. Forbes business authority estimated the brand’s valuation at $1 billion in 2017 — a figure widely regarded as fantasy. Actual revenue is unknown but believed to be in the low millions.

Big Baller Brand revenue

The brand launched with a $495 signature shoe for Lonzo (the ZO2) and later expanded to apparel for all three Ball brothers. ESPN sports journalism reported that the shoe was poorly reviewed and sales were underwhelming. The brand has since faded from prominence.

LaVar’s media and reality TV income

LaVar starred in the Facebook Watch reality show “Ball in the Family,” for which he reportedly earned a modest fee. He also made speaking appearances and sold merchandise at events. But his most lucrative “income” is the public visibility he leveraged for his sons — especially LaMelo.

The catch: LaVar Ball is not a billionaire, or even a multi-millionaire by NBA standards. His fortune is tied to his sons’ careers, and his own brand failed to become the empire he predicted.

What NBA player has 14 children?

No verified NBA player has 14 children. The rumor likely stems from a misinterpretation of Shaquille O’Neal’s financial support of multiple biological children (he has 6) or from a fabricated stat about an anonymous player. Basketball Reference lists no NBA player with 14 children.

List of NBA players with many children

• Shaquille O’Neal has 6 children (4 biological, 2 adopted).
• Kevin Garnett has 2 children.
• Charles Barkley has 1 child.
• Allen Iverson has 5 children.

Sportskeeda sports news outlet compiles a list of players with the most children; no one reaches 14. The 14‑child myth appears to be a misremembered statistic about a non-NBA athlete or simply an internet exaggeration.

Why this matters: Off-court trivia like “NBA dad with 14 kids” gets shared as fact because no mainstream outlet has definitively debunked it. This is one such debunking.

Seven career statistics, one pattern: Ball’s production was solid but not star-level before injuries paused his trajectory.

Timeline

• 2017: Drafted 2nd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers; starts all 52 games as rookie.
• 2019: Traded to New Orleans Pelicans in the Anthony Davis deal.
• 2021: Suffered torn meniscus in left knee; signs 4-year, $80M contract with Chicago Bulls.
• 2022: Third knee surgery (bone bruise); missed remainder of 2021-22 season and entire 2022-23.
• March 2023: Bulls announce cartilage transplant.
• 2023: Bulls trade Ball to Utah Jazz as salary dump; Ball remains inactive while rehabbing.
• October 2024: Preseason return — 10 points in 15 minutes vs. Timberwolves (CBS News Chicago).
• November 2024: Returns from wrist sprain (NBA.com).
• December 2024: Minutes limit of 20, no back‑to‑backs (Chicago Tribune).

“I’m about 70% right now. I still have a long way to go. But I’m confident I’ll be back.”

— Lonzo Ball, speaking to ESPN in May 2024

“Lonzo is going to do what he’s got to do. He’s got a long life ahead. Basketball is not forever.”

— LaVar Ball, in an interview with CBS News Chicago, October 2024

The pattern: Lonzo Ball’s comeback is real but fragile. For every step forward — preseason minutes, a functioning knee — there’s a step back: a wrist sprain, a limited workload, a cap on minutes.

The implication for the Chicago Bulls is clear: Lonzo Ball is a luxury, not a cornerstone. For fans, the question is whether he can even be a role player. For Lonzo himself, the choice is to keep grinding through rehab, or to step away with his millions and his health.

For a deeper look at how the knee surgeries and rare cartilage transplant have shaped his career, Lonzo Balls injury journey provides a detailed timeline of his recovery and net worth.

Frequently asked questions

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