Lonzo Ball, point guard for the Chicago Bulls, said Saturday that he is “going to play again” amid his ongoing feud with ESPN sports pundit Stephen A. Smith. Smith angered Ball by circulating rumors about Ball’s injuries.

At Saturday’s Invest Fest in Atlanta, Ball, age 25 lashed out at SAS during his speech. He was promoting Big Baller Brand and discussing his experiences as a child star at the business festival.

“The outside noise doesn’t bother me,” Ball added. When it comes to the Stephen A. thing, he has a big audience. And it bothers me greatly when influential figures, like he is, spread false information like that.

I know what I have to do to get home. And I’m just on a path, doing the things I need to do every day. My focus is primarily on the present. Sooner rather than later, you can count on seeing me back on the court.

Ball’s meniscus ιnjury from January 2022, when he last participated in an NBA game, has effectively ended his career for the next 2023–24 season.

Smith’s criticism of Ball likely stems from the fact that he has undergone three surgeries since his last game, including a cartilage transplant in March.

Smith, 55, said that Ball was so weak that he couldn’t even get out of a chair. A video of the Bulls guard demonstrating his ability to do so was then uploaded.

Ball recently had an interview on the “From the Point by Trae Young” podcast, where he was optimistic about his future, and he continued that trend at Invest Fest.

“Life is not easy,” Ball admitted. Put your best foot forward if you want the best results. If you want to succeed, you must consistently get yourself up after being struck down. It’s easy to give up, take the sidelines, and wallow in self-pity. But if you’re headed in the same direction I am, I think you should just g