Lonzo Ball suggests Big Baller Brand shoes contributed to meniscus injury: "Wasn't really getting hurt like that until I started wearing them"
After missing more than two full seasons of basketball, Lonzo Ball returned to action this season following a cartilage transplant. The procedure is one that no basketball player has been able to successfully come back from, but so far, Ball has shown the same flashes of brilliance that made him a highly-coveted guard before knee injuries derailed his career.
During an interview with ESPN, Ball discussed his return from injury after more than 1,000 days spent off the court, rehabbing in hopes of playing basketball again. In the interview that was published Thursday, Ball spoke about the Big Baller Brand shoes he wore during the 2017 NBA Summer League and his rookie season.
He described them as being comparable to kickball shoes, while saying that it's a possibility that the shoes, which wound up being manufactured by Sketchers, contributed to his first meniscus injury in January 2018:
"I think it's a possibility for sure, to be honest with you. I wasn't really getting hurt like that until I started wearing them."
As Lonzo Ball also explained, he and his brothers playing outdoor basketball also could have been something that contributed to the wear and tear on his knees. As he recalled, his uncle used to tell him and his brothers that they play on concrete too much.
"My uncle used to always tell me, 'Y'all play too much outside,' because we were playing super hard in the backyard. That's on concrete. That was at least 15 years. So I mean, all that, over time, it can't be good for your knees."
"You started to see his competitiveness come back," - Zach LaVine opens up on training with Lonzo Ball after undergoing foot surgery of his own
Whether or not the Big Baller Brand shoes that Lonzo Ball wore during the 2017 Summer League, and his rookie season, played an impact on his injury woes, Ball was committed to getting back on the court.
He saw specialists from all over the country and underwent numerous procedures, but was unable to do normal day-to-day activities like play with his daughter or walk his dog without being in pain.
After undergoing a cartilage transplant, however, Lonzo Ball started to make significant progress toward a return. In early 2024, after Zach LaVine underwent foot surgery, the two began to work out together in LA.
In the aforementioned ESPN article, LaVine spoke about seeing Ball's compeitive spirit come back:
"He was the same guy, very optimistic and happy, but then you also started to see his competitiveness come back. He would start asking like, 'Let's go out and shoot, you know, let's do some shooting games.'
"I would see him in the gym shooting, he'll mess around, throw the ball on me and try to guard me and stuff like that. As he started to feel better, you could see his mood just as a basketball player come back and be like, oh, OK. He's starting to have some of that itch."
Although a wrist injury has plagued Lonzo Ball this season, the two-way guard's knee has held up well. Considering he missed two and a half seasons, the team has him on a minutes restriction, however, his play has left Chicago fans optimistic that he can return to form.