Nikola Vucevic on Lonzo Ball: 'You can’t see all the stuff that he does to get back on the court'

“It was kind of like, ‘Oh, when he comes back, it’s going to be fixed.’ Early on, it was, ‘Oh, six weeks,’ then, ‘Now it’s eight weeks,’ and then, ‘January’ and ‘Maybe playoffs.’ For us, it was tricky, because we kept waiting for him,” Vučević said of the Bulls’ disappointing 2022-23 campaign. “And now, at least we know he’s not there. We’ve got some new teammates, some good signings that will help us. And so now it’s on us as players to figure it out and find a way to have a better year.” -via Yahoo! Sports / September 1, 2023

And yet, the staying power of this current Bulls iteration remains curious, despite the starting center’s newfound security. Chicago checked the temperature on Zach LaVine’s market throughout this offseason, league sources told Yahoo Sports. DeMar DeRozan is entering the final season of a three-year, $82 million deal. Patrick Williams, the bouncy forward the Bulls selected No. 4 in 2020, is entering the last year of his rookie contract. Although Chicago’s front office, and Vučević as well, remain bullish the versatile 22-year-old can flourish this upcoming season. “We know we can do better, and we have to do better,” Vučević said. “And we know it’s kind of our last chance as this core of guys to do something.” -via Yahoo! Sports / August 31, 2023

The 2021 trade deadline, though, brought an opportune moment to shift from the franchise. He was at a doctor’s appointment for one of his sons, the clock ticking down toward the 3 p.m. ET buzzer, when then-Magic general manager John Hammond dialed his cell and delivered the news. “But even then, when I got the call, it was a big shock for me,” Vučević said. Getting traded midseason, uprooting his family, finding new schools for his boys, it all pervaded his acclimation to the Bulls. He missed longtime neighbors as much as longtime Magic staffers. Even today, Vučević looks toward Central Florida as the likely landing spot for his family upon retirement. “But I think as time went on, it made the most sense for both sides. I know in Chicago people have different opinions of how it’s been for me. But it’s not the same situation I had in Orlando. I’m not used the same way. I’m not playing the same way. Although I felt this year was one of my best ever. Scoring-wise, no. But I’m taking five, six shots less than I did in Orlando. It’s different strengths. It’s made me a better overall player for sure, and helped me mature, be able to adapt better, playing with different types of players in a different system.” -via Yahoo! Sports / August 31, 2023

“I don’t shy away from criticism at all,” Lonzo Ball said. “I don’t listen to how people say things. I listen to what they’re saying. In this game that you’re in, a lot of people say a lot of things. But I’m a firm believer in action. So I believe what my eyes show.” -via The Athletic / August 27, 2023

“Entrepreneurship started at a young age in our household,” Lonzo Ball said. “Just dreaming big and trying to get the most out of yourself. But my journey personally, I think, started when I realized that I was more than just a basketball player. “And looking at the other athletes around me, the ones that are very successful, you can tell that their business off the court is doing better than their business on the court. And for me, that was just motivating to get into a world where I have a lot of help around me. But just trying to learn as much as I can and make the best decisions. And that’s what I’m trying to do now.” -via The Athletic / August 27, 2023