Lonzo Ball Denies NBA Retirement Rumors: Former Lakers and Bulls Star Says He’s Still Waiting for a Call

Lonzo Ball is not retiring from the NBA — at least not yet. The former Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls guard has pushed back against reports suggesting that he had decided to end his professional basketball career.

The retirement speculation emerged after Ball spoke candidly about his career and the impact of his devastating knee injuries during a recent episode of the Ball in the Family podcast with Gilbert Arenas. Reflecting on his nine-year NBA journey, Ball spoke in the past tense about his career and said he was grateful for everything basketball had given him.

Ball also acknowledged how difficult it has been to see his physical limitations change the way he plays. He said he does not believe he ever reached his full potential, particularly after the serious knee problems that kept him away from the court for two complete NBA seasons.

Those comments were quickly interpreted by some as a retirement announcement.

Ball, however, responded directly on social media on September 23, making his position clear.

The post confirmed that Lonzo Ball remains interested in continuing his NBA career and is currently waiting for an opportunity from a team.

Ball entered the NBA as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers after a standout season at UCLA. He later played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers.

His career trajectory changed dramatically after a serious knee injury during his time with Chicago. What initially appeared to be a temporary setback became a prolonged rehabilitation process involving multiple surgeries. Ball ultimately missed the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons before returning to NBA action in 2024-25.

Before the injuries, Ball had developed into a versatile guard known for his passing, defense and three-point shooting. He averaged a career-high 14.6 points per game in 2020-21 with the New Orleans Pelicans and had established himself as an important two-way player in Chicago.

Ball returned to the court with the Bulls in 2024-25 but later played for Cleveland during the 2025-26 season.

With the Cavaliers, he appeared in 35 games, averaging 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists, while shooting 27.2% from three-point range. Cleveland subsequently moved him to Utah, where he was waived, leaving him without an NBA contract.

That has left Ball as a free agent heading into the 2026-27 NBA season.

For now, Ball's own statement is the clearest indication of his intentions: despite discussing the difficult parts of his career and acknowledging how much his injuries have changed his game, he has not announced his retirement.

His NBA future therefore remains unresolved, with Ball waiting to see whether another opportunity arrives.