Lonzo Ball received offseason treatment on left knee, resumed basketball activities last week

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball received a platelet-rich plasma shot during the offseason to treat the same left knee that kept him sidelined for nearly a month during the 2017-18 regular season, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Ball was reportedly cleared for basketball-related activities last week.

The 20-year-old point guard missed 30 games with knee-related issues, including 15 consecutive games in the months of January and February. The Lakers went 8-7 during that stretch, but were 11-19 on the season without Ball.

According to Ball, he’s still been in the weight room, but hasn’t been able to get work in on the court until recently.

“I just got back [on the court],” Ball told ESPN at the Big Baller Brand Junior Basketball Association media day at Citizens Business Bank Arena, where he joined his father and brothers. “But I have been lifting weights. Nothing stopped me from doing that. I just got back on the court though, but everything is feeling good.”

Earlier last month, Ball’s father, LaVar Ball, was publicly critical of the Lakers’ training staff and blamed Lonzo’s injury-riddled season on strength coach Gunnar Peterson’s “bullsh*t training” regimen involving “rubber-bands.” Whether or not that’s true, LaVar wouldn’t be the one to give a proper assessment of Peterson's first year in Los Angeles.

Ball’s injuries stopped him from gaining any momentum during the season and as a result, his rookie stats suffered. However, Ball did show flashes of brilliance on both ends of the floor giving fans hope that he can put it together and stay healthy next season.

Ball has already been ruled out of summer league so hopefully he’s ready to go for training camp starting in September.