Lonzo Ball explains why he called out Stephen A. Smith

Mar 26, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball warms up before their game against the Denver Nuggets at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Lonzo Ball had a high-profile response to some reporting from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, and the Chicago Bulls guard opened up on why he felt compelled to respond to something Smith said about him.

Smith made an on-air claim that Ball’s knee injury is so severe that the Bulls guard has trouble moving from the sitting position. Ball posted a video of himself disproving that claim while questioning who Smith’s sources were.

On Saturday, Ball made an appearance at Invest Fest, and explained why he felt compelled to respond to Smith.

“The outside noise doesn’t bother me,” Ball said, via Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “The Stephen A. thing, you know, he has a wide platform. And to me, I just don’t appreciate when people put out fake news like that, especially someone of his stature that can touch a lot of people. It’s just putting out the wrong thing.”

Smith refused to back down after being called out, but Ball’s decision to do so definitely helped redefine the narrative and put the ESPN star on the defensive. The Bulls guard remains determined to play in the NBA again, and he’ll have a similar response to anyone else who shares something misleading about him.