After sitting on the sidelines for over 2 years due to knee injuries, Chicago Bulls’ point guard Lonzo Ball is ready to make a strong comeback. During the Bulls’ media day on Monday ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, the 26-year-old gave a positive update on his fitness and revealed that he plans to be available for the season opener.
“We had a couple conversations about it so far. Obviously, back-to-backs are off the table right now,” Ball said. “I’m definitely going to be on minutes restriction. We don’t have a set number yet, but there will be one. It’s going to be constant communication throughout the year because it is, sort of, a new project if you will, that we all have to get through together”, Ball said during the event.
Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, also spoke about his recovery process and claimed he feels “healthy enough” to play.
“I pretty much have a brand new knee. Feeling good, feeling healthy enough to play so that’s all that matters,” he said.
While Ball is excited to return to the court, he recognizes that he will not be as athletic as he was before the injury.
“Obviously, I’m not going to be as athletic as I once was before, but I feel like skill and IQ can go a long way, especially in the league”, the Bulls’ guard said.
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The No. 2 overall pick from the 2017 NBA draft went through a difficult period after he suffered a career-threatening knee injury in 2022. The point guard, who last played in January 2022, went through multiple surgeries, including a cartilage transplant for the knee in 2023.
In 35 games in 2021-22, the point guard averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
Ball’s return to NBA action will give a big boost to the Chicago Bulls, who, despite Coby White’s breakout season, lost to the 8th-seeded Miami Heat in the second stage of the Play-In Tournament.
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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