Lonzo Ball, 26, will soon make a highly-anticipated return to professional basketball following a two-year absence due to an extensive knee injury. Last seen playing professionally for Chicago Bulls back in January 2022, Ball has undergone multiple procedures on his left knee–including an innovative dual cartilage transplant procedure–amid ongoing physical rehabilitation treatments and multiple surgeries in preparation for returning.
Ball Expressed His Hope For An Upcoming Season Ball recently shared his enthusiasm and optimism regarding joining back up with his former team and beginning this new season with them. In an interaction with reporters, Ball expressed how blessed and delighted to be back among them and is looking forward to attending training camp and readying himself for season opener on September 6th he said this could not see what lay ahead so his goal is always being ready.
A successful return to the court would be nothing short of miraculous for Ball, the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. His recovery journey has included groundbreaking procedures such as a meniscal transplant and osteochondral allograft to repair the cartilage damage in his knee.
The Challenge of a Lifetime: Ball’s Path to Recovery Ball acknowledges the uniqueness of his situation, saying, “No one has truly made it back from this before. I’ll essentially be charting new territory. Consequently, playing back-to-back games isn’t feasible right now, and my playing time will need to be managed carefully, though we haven’t decided on specific limits yet.”
He added, “We plan to keep the lines of communication open throughout the season. This is a new journey for all of us, and managing it will be crucial. My knee is entirely rebuilt, and while it will never be quite the same, I feel strong and capable enough to play—that’s what counts.”
Prior to his injury, Ball had made major contributions for the Bulls, posting averages of 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals across 35 starts. On an overall career level he averaged 11.9 points 6.2 assists 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals over 252 games (239 starts) across both Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans teams before coming home with Chicago in 2014.
“This journey has always been part of my life,” Ball stated, noting injuries don’t fall on their own but must overcome obstacles as part of life; their removal has been his focus as has staying dedicated, grounded, and working as hard as he possibly could to achieving goals.