Lonzo Ball has not played since Jan. 13 due to an MCL sprain in his left knee, and the lengthy absence has taken a psychological toll of sorts on him as well.
The star Los Angeles Lakers rookie told reporters on Thursday that he has been “frustrated” with his recovery and did not expect to be out this long. Ball also noted that he has not yet received clearance from the training staff to play in Friday’s game against Dallas, per Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet.
Ball, who is averaging 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists as a rookie, has now been sidelined for 15 straight games with the injury and does not appear to be an all systems go yet coming out of the All-Star break.
Depending on the severity, MCL sprains usually require multiple weeks to recover from, so you can understand Ball’s frustration now that he has missed almost a month-and-a-half of action. At least the No. 2 overall pick has been able to focus on other ventures in the meantime though.
