Lonzo Ball’s comeback saw him notch 10 points in 15 minutes, marking a triumphant return after an extensive recovery.
After undergoing three knee surgeries and being off the court for over two years, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball finally made his return to the game.
On Wednesday night, Ball stepped back onto an NBA court for the first time since January 14, 2022, when the Bulls played a preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. His comeback was met with an enthusiastic ovation from the crowd at the United Center, and not long after, he sank a corner 3-pointer.
Ball didn’t start the second quarter, but he re-entered the game with just over eight minutes left. Although he didn’t add more points, his impact on playmaking and defense was clear. The crowd erupted when he blocked Timberwolves star Julius Randle’s layup.
Zo kicked off the third quarter, going 2-for-4. After missing a 24-footer and a mid-range jumper, he completed two layups. He continued leading the Bulls’ offense until Zach LaVine subbed him out with 1:09 left in the game.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG | 3-PT FG | FT | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lonzo Ball | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4-6 | 2-4 | 0-0 | +6 |
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball described his recovery from multiple knee surgeries, which have kept him off the court since January 2022, as progressing “a lot faster than I thought.”
“Getting the first surgery and then coming back, and then having the second and third, and telling me 18 more months recovery. You know that sounds crazy in the moment, but now I’m here, and it’s all behind me now,” Ball said on Wednesday, according to Will Gottlieb of CHGO.
Ball expressed his deep appreciation for the Bulls organization, saying he had “nothing but love and respect” for the team, which supported him throughout his recovery journey. Doctors initially expected the surgery to repair his torn meniscus in early 2022 to sideline him for no more than eight weeks.
However, Ball ended up sitting out for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. He had a second surgery in September 2022, followed by a transplant in March.
Despite the repeated surgeries and setbacks, which could discourage anyone from continuing, Ball remains confident in his ability to contribute to the Bulls’ success.
The former No. 2 overall draft pick posted career-best averages of 14.6 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, his last full season.
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Image Credit: © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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