Lonzo Ball hasn’t played NBA basketball in more than two seasons, but now he may be just days away from his long-awaited return.
According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, the Chicago Bulls plan to have Ball return this week, targeting Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves as his debut. The Bulls also reportedly plan to have Ball play one more preseason game before the regular season begins on Oct. 22.
Ball, who will turn 27 at the end of October, has missed more time than anyone could have anticipated with this left knee injury. His last appearance in an NBA game was on January 14, 2022. A week later, he was diagnosed with a minor meniscus tear and underwent arthroscopic surgery shortly after. His rehabilitation seemed to be going well until he started running, and from then on he started having discomfort in his knee and was unable to get going again.
Months later, the discomfort was still there, and by June the Bulls were reportedly worried Ball wouldn’t be ready for the start of the 2022-23 season. Those concerns turned out to be well-founded. Ball underwent a second arthroscopic surgery on his knee in September 2022, and like the last time, his knee did not improve after the procedure. Although the Bulls had hoped Ball would be able to play late in the 2022-23 season, they cut him in February 2023. Ball then underwent a third knee surgery in March 2023, which ultimately cost him the entire 2023-2024 season.
But now, after playing just 35 games over the past three years, undergoing three knee surgeries and countless failed revivals, Ball appears to be ready.
Good, almost ready to go. Ball struggled with his left knee this weekend, but head coach Billy Donovan is encouraged by how Ball looked on the field.
“He did a really, really good job,” Donovan said. “He’s been there and played. And he played effectively. I think his timing is coming back.”
