CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball received a standing ovation while checking into Wednesday night’s preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at United Center, marking his return to basketball after 2 1/2 seasons away due to chronic left knee soreness and surgeries.
Ball checked in for Josh Giddey with 6 minutes, 8 seconds left in the first quarter and made his first shot, a catch-and-shoot corner 3-pointer, only 30 seconds in. Ball, who hadn’t appeared in an NBA contest in 1,006 days, played with a 16-minute restriction.
He finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes in Chicago’s 125-123 win over Minnesota.
The United Center welcomes back Lonzo Ball 🙏 pic.twitter.com/E56hJL0qwH
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 17, 2024
Ball said his left knee felt good Wednesday and he never thought about it during the contest.
“That’s a positive thing,” he said. “I didn’t feel it at all. I felt like I was moving great. So now it’s just about building. Just continue to do it night in and night out.”
Ball didn’t hesitate to confirm that he would play in the Bulls’ preseason finale Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Yeah, I’m going to play Friday for sure,” he said. “So hopefully I can give the same effort.”
Ball has undergone three surgeries on his left knee to address chronic soreness he began experiencing during the 2021-22 season, his first with the Bulls. He was limited to 35 games that season before undergoing meniscus and cartilage replacements, and the Bulls were in first place in the Eastern Conference for 35 days before Ball suffered his injury.
His knee surgeries were considered to be last-ditch, career-saving procedures.
No player in NBA history has achieved the type of comeback Ball is making. Ball turns 27 on Oct. 27 and has career averages of 11.9 points, 6.2 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game through four-plus seasons.
Despite his layoff, he wasn’t surprised at his effectiveness Wednesday. Ball said he was pleased with his 15 minutes, which included glimpses of sharpshooting, court vision, playmaking and elite defensive rotations.
“My game is pretty simple,” Ball said. “I know what I can do out there. It’s not too complicated. I’m going to go in, give good minutes and hopefully contribute to winning.
“All the instinctive plays, that’s not going to go anywhere. It’s more about the on-ball and getting over screens like I used to; getting that back. But off the ball, I feel comfortable.”
LONZO RETURNS WITH A SPLASH 💦 pic.twitter.com/DEz3fvNr1W
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 17, 2024
When asked if he doubted this day would come, Ball dismissed the possibility and expressed confidence in his ability to return to action.
“Not really, to be honest. I had a goal to get back on the court,” he said. “And I knew it was a long journey, a long process. But it all paid off because this is what I was looking forward to. I’m just glad it’s here now and I can finally go out and do what I love to do.”
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(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
