Cleveland Cavaliers: Lonzo Ball Sees Natural Fit With Cavs, Excited to ‘REALLY HAVE a CHANCE TO WIN’

Cleveland Cavaliers: Lonzo Ball Sees Natural Fit With Cavs, Excited to ‘REALLY HAVE a CHANCE TO WIN’

What excites you just most about the opportunity that you have at this point in your career? Uh really just to have the chance to win. I mean um obviously we know how good the Cavs are. You know how good they’ve been in the past and I think that this year we have a you know great chance to go for it all and that’s really all I’m focused on. When you think about you know how these past few years have helped kind of shape your journey and where you’re at the things that that you’ve been through sitting here with this opportunity. How has that, you know, helped shape you and how are you taking hold of this next year? Uh, just a huge blessing just to be able to be a to play um at all and then let alone for this or organization, you know. Um, I couldn’t ask for nothing better than this. I think it’s a great situation for my play style and I’m just looking forward to just getting out there and competing with the guys. After two years off, Lonzo, what was most encouraging about the way that you were able to play last year in Chicago? I would say the way just my knee held up, you know, after the games. Um, I didn’t really know what to expect, but you know, when I first got back versus Minnesota in that preseason game, I was kind of surprised how good I was moving around and then I felt like it just got better as the year went on. Um, unfortunately, you know, I had to deal with my wrist, but as far as my knee was concerned, it was pretty good. You mentioned this team fitting your play style in in what way specifically? Um, I just think that, you know, Don is obviously, you know, one of the best players we have in the league and then they have two bigs that are mobile that can, you know, set pick and rolls and get to the rim like that. And then um I feel like we can do some switching on defense. So I think we can, you know, do a lot of different things on both sides of the ball. And I think to have the option to be able to do those things is great. What was the process like for you coming back from the injury last year of trusting your body to to hold up the way that it did? Um it was long. I mean the rehab process was super long as well. So just you know each week was something different pretty much. Um but just building the confidence and you know being on the same page with everyone as far as the coaching staff and um the trainers over there at the time. So um it was a collective unit. It wasn’t just me. So, I was grateful for the people that were around me that helped me, you know, get to this position where I can, you know, still play. What have your conversations been like since the trade with the Cats organization? Like, can you like dominate various? Uh, well, I haven’t really got to. This is my first day here. Um, so I haven’t really got to meet too many people, but um, people have been around, you know, super positive, been good energy, good vibes. Um, did some testing today, been in doctor’s office for quite a bit today. So, um, got all that stuff out the way now. I’m just happy to, you know, meet the guys and play with everybody. What makes you confident that your knee and wrists and every injury that you’ve dealt with is going to be able to hold up through this next season? Uh, just to continue just to trust in the work. I mean, it’s been working for me this far. So, just try to stay on the right path and um just listen to the people that are around me um that you know more than me and take it from there. You’ve gone on social media talking about how hungry and happy you are to be able to play back this game that you love. How important is that for you to just be able to have fun and play the game again? I mean, basketball’s, you know, my life. I’ve been playing since I was six years old, so about 20 years in now. So, um, it’s really all I know. So, I’m just thankful and, um, you know, like I said, blessed to be able to just be here playing for anybody, let alone the CS. Having seen this organization from the outside, uh, what were your impressions of it and and now that you’re in and a part of this and former championship organization and all that, like what does that make you feel like? Um, I feel great. I mean, as a kid, I I won’t say if I was a Cavs fan, but I was a LeBron fan, so naturally I was a Cavs fan. So, you know, it’s kind of cool. was like a full circle moment to be able to, you know, come here and play for them and just try to get a ring for them. You just got here, but what is what are you maybe looking forward to most as you start to get acclimated with some of the guys, with your coaches and with the city? Um, I just love to play basketball. So, I just really want to get into the arena and just put a show on for the fans and, you know, win as many games as possible and hopefully the year is long. With this new team, new opportunity, what do you want your off seasonason to look like? What’s that going to look like for I just continue to build my strength and just, you know, prepare myself for a long season and um just take it from there. How big a missing piece of is the playoff experience for you? I mean, basketball is all about winning to me. So, you can’t, you know, you can’t win without getting to the playoffs. So, um been on a couple teams that have been to the playoffs. You know, obviously I couldn’t, you know, get out there and run with the guys, but um like I said, hopefully this year, you know, I have high hopes and you know, the sky’s is the limit. And I, you know, listening to you, um, on your podcast, you made a comment about not knowing if you would play again. Yeah. Um, how much appreciation and just gratitude did you gain through that process? Um, well, like I said, I always loved the game. Like, I never took it for granted. So, the love for the game never left. It was just more so like just not knowing the unknown. Um, like I said, I’ve been playing basketball my whole life. So, for that to get taken away and, you know, not really know what I wanted to do with myself, you know, was kind of hard to get through. But, uh, I feel like I came out a better person for it and I’m excited just to be able to play today. Given given how much of your career twists and turns have been out of your control, trade, injury, that sort of, how do you evaluate how successful you’ve been? Uh, well, it’s part of the life. I mean, at the end of the day, I am playing basketball for a living. And I don’t think it gets no better than that. Not for me at least. So, you know, I’m just very grateful for the opportunity and the position I’m in today. And, um, I just don’t take any day for granted. I just try to stay levelheaded and take it day by day. given you’ve been around a playoff environment, never really got to experience it. What have you imagined that could be like with with this team? Um, I wouldn’t say that. I mean, like I said, I just try to take it game by game. Um, just do the things I can do on the court to help the team win and just take it from there. So, you mentioned the success that this organization has had and and coming in as as a part of that. When when that’s the case, how how do you approach that trying to blend into what’s already established? I mean, I I play basketball the same way. No matter, you know, what team I’m on, um, I’m going go out there, defend, push the pace, you know, shoot the shots that I open, and live with the results. So, I don’t really focus on doing anything different than that. The defend thing, has that that always been a thing for you? Because I mean, your numbers defensively have been as good as they get in the NBA. Yeah, I know when I was younger, you know, we played kind of a reckless style basketball, so it didn’t look like we was playing much defense, but I was out there playing a lot of defense. So, my whole life I’ve been, you know, guarding. Knowing that this is one of the first summers that you’ve had fully healthy, how do you think you’ve been able to improve your game in the off time that you’ve had? Um, it’s really been more so my body more than than my game, honestly. Um, just making sure I’m prepared to be as available as possible and put myself in the best position, you know, to finish the season strong. So more so right now, especially, you know, it’s June, July, it’s not really about basketball for me at this moment, you know, it’s more so just in the weight room making sure my lower body’s good and stuff like that. Go ahead. What were your impressions of this Cavs team on the other side and now that you get to be a part of that, how you can add the talent that’s already here? Yeah, I mean obviously like they were number one in the East. Um, everybody knows that. Obviously, um, last year, you know, injuries kind of, you know, messed them up towards the end. So, you know, it’s just some things you just can’t, you know, predict and it was unfortunate timing for them, but um hopefully this year can be better. Just actually breaking off of that, um having the opportunity to play for a team that was number one in the East last year and to be like at that championship expectation level, just how do you handle that uh personally, internally? Uh like I said, just take it one game at a time, try to go one and0 every time we step out there and live with the results. And I think we should all, you know, be focused on getting to a ring, but we all know that, you know, June’s a long time, you know, when you start in September, October. So, can’t look too far ahead. But um like you said, there were one in the east last year.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball meets with the media for the first time in a Cavs uniform. He spoke on how he sees himself being integrated, what aspects of his game can transition to the wine-and-gold and how he feels physically and has handled his injuries.

Ball came over in a trade from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Isaac Okoro.

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Welcome to Cavs On SI! We are associated with the On SI network through the Sports Illustrated Media Group. We’ll cover all of the latest Cleveland Cavaliers news and share our opinions and analysis with live streams and postgame reactions throughout this season.

SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more coverage of the Cavaliers, and be sure to follow our comprehensive Cavs coverage through the On SI network here:

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