Lonzo Ball Expected to Return For Preseason Action
By Keith Mado October 16, 2024 13:56
Ball, 26, is expected to make his much-awaited return to NBA action against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday for a preseason matchup.
It’s been almost 1000 days since Lonzo Ball suited up to play. The highly-recruited UCLA guard is finally returning to the NBA court after a grim injury that had him undergo three knee surgeries, which forced him to miss over two and a half seasons.
“To make a long story short, ultimately, it started with the meniscus tear,” Ball said. “Basically, it started on the Lakers when I tore it the first time. Tore it a couple more times to a point to where there was no more meniscus left, with bone-on-bone rubbing. So the cartilage was gone. The bone was messed up.”
The last time Lonzo Ball appeared on the court, Chris Paul was still with the Phoenix Suns, Kyrie Irving was still a Brooklyn Net, and Jordan Poole was a newly crowned NBA champion. A lot has changed since then, but Bulls fans hope that Lonzo‘s return will help bring the Bulls back to relevance in the Eastern Conference.
The combo guard has dealt with injuries since the start of his professional career. Ball has only played 252 games since being selected No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2016-17 NBA Draft. His healthiest season was during his stint with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020-21, when he played 55 games.
Ball proved to be a good fit in the Bulls’ system, averaging 13 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 42.3% on 3-pointers over 35 games in the 2020-21 season before being shut down due to injuries.
But since Lonzo's last game, Chicago's roster has completely changed. The Bulls are currently in the process of rebuilding, following the departure of veteran forward DeMar DeRozan and glue guy Alex Caruso, coupled with the addition of budding guard Josh Giddey. Also, the future of their number one option, Zach Lavine, and their veteran big man, Nicola Vucevic, with the team is still in the air.
A successful comeback would be a miracle for Ball, and ultimately, his return to the court would be nothing but good for the game.
"I pretty much have a brand new knee. So it’s always going to be a little bit different than what God gave me to start off with. But I’m feeling good; I’m feeling healthy enough to play. So that’s all that really matters, just managing it throughout the year and being
available,” Ball shared during media day. “This is something that no one has really come back from,” he reflected.
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