Lonzo Ball was not going to take Stephen A. Smith’s commentary sitting down.
On ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday, Smith said of Ball, who is out for the whole 2023-24 season after also missing all of last season due to a knee injury, that “I don’t think he’ll ever be the same… I’ve heard that it’s even hard for him to get up from the sitting position… I’m really, really sad for him.”
Ball saw the segment and responded to it on Twitter, with a video in which he stood up and sat down several times using only his left knee.
He captioned the video, “@stephenasmith come to the actual source next time. I’m not hard to reach.”
“Who are your sources, bro? Please tell me who your sources are,” Ball said. “Come on man, you gotta stop yapping, and I actually like you, man! And I don’t even know you like that — I’m coming back, man, come on!”
Ball finished by walking off.
Smith was unbothered by the display, tweeting in response, “Happy to do so, Lonzo. Nice to know you’d finally like me to reach out. Not a problem. You know how to reach me, too. I’m here.”
Ball signed a four-year contract with the Bulls worth $80 million before the 2021-22 season and has only played 35 games so far for the team.
Without Ball, the Bulls finished 40-42 last season, ranked 10th in the Eastern Conference, losing to the Heat in the NBA’s play-in tournament.