What happened to Lonzo Ball? Latest injury update on Bulls star after abrupt exit vs 76ers (Feb. 24)

Lonzo Ball exited the Chicago Bulls' game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night with an injury. Ball has battled injuries over the past three years, so there was concern among the Bulls fanbase. But what happened to the former No. 2 pick?

According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sun-Times, Ball suffered a head laceration and has been ruled out for the rest of the game. It's unclear how the incident happened, but it was serious enough for the Bulls medical team to keep him off the court.

With a head injury like that, Ball will likely be under the NBA's concussion protocol. He won't be cleared to return if he doesn't pass the test. He has already dealt with a wrist injury and a minor calf issue this season. Most of the games he missed were part of his injury management for his left knee.

Chicago Bulls beat reporter Joe Cowley initially suspected a left hand injury for Lonzo Ball because he was favoring his left hand before heading into the locker room. Cowley would later confirm that it was indeed a head laceration and not a hand issue.

Some fans suspected that the injury happened right before he was subbed out. He was rotating on the perimeter defense and was a little late against Kelly Oubre Jr., who was driving to the basket. Oubre had the Bulls guard off balance though it seemed like he tripped on Matas Buzelis' leg.

As Ball was losing his balance, Philadelphia 76ers big man Guerschon Yabusele was already looking up to get the rebound. Yabusele was boxing out, so his elbow was in position. It seemed like Ball hit his head on Yabusele's elbow, which might have caused the laceration.

Here's the video of the suspected play:

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Lonzo Ball comments on his recovery from complicated knee injury

Lonzo Ball comments on his recovery from complicated knee injury. (Photo: IMAGN)

After three surgeries on his left knee, Lonzo Ball finally returned to the court on opening night. Ball waited more than 1,000 days to get back and it took some time to get the feeling that he was actually playing like his old self.

Speaking to Julia Poe of the Chicago Sun Tribune back in December, the Bulls guard explained how he has been able to make the adjustments following his return. Ball was very happy with his performances, especially on the defensive end.

"It's coming back a lot faster than I’d thought," Ball said. "I feel like I'm getting a little more bounce, a little more spring every game, so hopefully it just keeps improving over time. … I'm probably more cognitive of what I can and can do, but I'm doing things that I thought I wouldn't be able to do this early, so I have no complaints at all."

Ball was playing his role to perfection that the Bulls decided to give him a two-year, $20 million extension despite his injury history.