Copyright cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Lonzo Ball stands on the cusp of a career chapter that might finally define him. Not by the noise that once surrounded him, but by the game that still lives within him. After more than 1,000 days away from competitive basketball — including recovery from an unprecedented cartilage transplant surgery in 2023 — and most recently a wrist injury that held him out for much of last season, Ball is preparing to lace up for the Cavs with two goals in mind. “I would say, obviously being available for every game that I’m slated to play,” Ball told cleveland.com when asked what would define success for him this season. “I think the lucky number is 60 [games] this year. Trying to hit that would be a huge accomplishment for me and for the team as well. “And then get into the postseason and, you know, take it a series at a time and hopefully hold up the trophy at the end of the season.” More Cavs coverage How injuries to key Knicks players rob the Cavs of the season-opening statement They wanted Injury-riddled opener sets the stage for Evan Mobley and the Cavs to start hot again: Wine and Gold Talk podcast Who’s the Browns’ best rookie so far? Why the deck is stacked against the Guardians: Terry’s Talkin’ podcast LaVar Ball, Lonzo’s father, has long preached his belief that his eldest son is the missing piece for a title contender — and for once, the basketball world might agree with him. “At the end of the day, we need that guy healthy for the playoffs, because he’s a heck of a player,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said about Ball. “And I’m not sure you guys know how good he is defensively. ... And we’re going to get that IQ part, too, from a guy that’s seen it all in the league. So I don’t want to go crazy here, but I’m like over-the-top excited about how he’s going to fit in with the group.” But this is more than just basketball for Ball. At 27 years old, it’s a revival born out of pain, patience and perspective. What survives the fire is stronger than what enters it Cleveland will see a player transformed by the technical lessons of the NBA and by the crucible of life itself. The cartilage transplant wasn’t just a medical marvel; it was a test of patience, discipline, and mental endurance. And it was his family’s stern but impactful early teachings that helped carry him through. “A lot of thanks got to go to my parents just for instilling that mindset in me early as a kid,” Ball said. “Kind of like a no-complain, just-get-it-done mentality. I felt like that stuck with me throughout my life, and I think that was a big reason for me getting back on the court.” The trials his parents endured, including his mother Tina’s stroke in 2017 and his father’s recent health issues — resulting in an amputated right foot — offered a daily reminder of resilience. They shaped a player who approaches setbacks with grace. “The thing that was so impressive to me was his ability to take whatever’s being thrown at him and not be fazed one bit,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said of Ball. “It was like, ‘OK, what is it? What’s next?’ And that’s just the way he always is. I’ve never seen his demeanor change. ... It was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever witnessed. “I think because he’s so cerebral in the game, he’s never rattled because he’s so smart. Like, he knows all the answers to the test. So when you watch him play, there’s a great calmness to him.” It’s easy to mistake LaVar’s bluster for Lonzo’s personality, but the son has always been the quiet constant amid the storm — a steady worker who let his game speak louder than the headlines, working through any situation without faltering. Even as a teenager thrust into the national spotlight at California’s Chino Hills High School — where his younger brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo also played — he learned how to balance attention and expectation. LaVar’s intense, hands-on training regime began when Lonzo was just 10 months old, part of a meticulously planned strategy to craft NBA-ready athletes. It was rigorous, sometimes grueling, and often misunderstood by outsiders. But it instilled a work ethic and mental toughness that would carry him through collegiate stardom at UCLA, into the NBA draft, and now perhaps the most defining stretch of his career. “Maybe. I don’t talk to a lot of people, so it’s easy to look at something from the outside looking in and form your own opinion on it,” Ball said about being misunderstood. “But for the people that have known me and grew up with me and rocked with me from Day 1, they all know that I’ve pretty much been the same kid. “We gotta realize that this is still a game at the end of the day. So whatever people see, you know, on TV for that hour, that two hours is not really necessarily what the whole picture is.” The missing piece that makes it all make sense Now, after his first offseason without having to fully rehab an injury, Ball is set for another Day 1. This time, it’s in a city that mirrors his story: resilient and ready to rise again. And while the roster may be better than any other he’s been a part of, the 6-foot-6 point guard’s game might be the one that makes it whole. “Lonzo makes other people better. He knows how to use guys,” Atkinson said. “He’s one of those guys, he’s coaching guys out there, he’s telling them what he wants and that helps, especially role players ... but he’s kind of a guy that will command the game and give guys little hints. I can see that on the court.” Cleveland has spent three seasons searching for an organizer. Darius Garland, who will start the season recovering from offseason toe surgery, is an exquisite scorer and playmaker, but he’s also a rhythm player. He needs touches, movement and tempo to dictate the game. Donovan Mitchell is an elite shot-maker who thrives when the Cavs need him to seek out a bucket. Ball can be the connective tissue between them. He sees the geometry of the floor before anyone else does and, more importantly, reacts to it without hesitation. His reads turn possessions into systems, and systems into flow. For now, the Cavs will keep him limited, seeing how he can impact the game in spurts. He’ll sit out during back-to-back games, and his minutes will hover around 20 a night through most of the regular season. But when springtime rolls around, his workload could gradually increase, giving the Cavs the chance to gauge whether his body can hold up under postseason pressure. Ball’s fit in Atkinson’s offense is almost surgical. His instinct to advance the ball early in the clock is an immediate counter to Cleveland’s occasional stagnation. Although the Cavs’ offense played at a historic rate last season, Atkinson believes they can push it even further with Ball’s IQ, vision and execution. Atkinson has called Ball “a risk taker,” and that’s true. His passes flirt with turnovers. But that controlled chaos is precisely what Cleveland needs. Ball’s arrival encourages aggression by example. When he’s throwing laser outlets to shooters the second he rebounds the ball, it pushes everyone to run harder and trust the system. Then there’s his defense. Ball’s size allows him to take the primary assignment on wings that Mitchell or Garland can’t handle physically. He’s the rare guard who can toggle between point-of-attack defender and free-safety disruptor, giving the Cavs the ability to hide their smaller guards without compromising structure. When he’s on the floor, Cleveland can finally switch one through four comfortably. The acquisition was a calculated risk. The front office knows the trade only pays off if he looks like himself in April, May and June. The early-season limits are both precautionary and strategic — a long game with championship stakes. But if this works, Ball and the Cavs will both get what they bargained for. Ball was asked how he will want to be remembered for this new chapter in Cleveland. “Just that, ‘He’s a winner.’ That’s really all I’m focused on this year,” he said. “I don’t really have many other goals besides to win a championship, so that’s what I’m playing for. I think everybody knows that’s what I came here to help do. That’s my path, and that’s how I want to be written when it’s all said and done.”
