Lonzo Ball scores 10 points in return and thinks about rehab: “It’s all behind me now”

CHICAGO — When Lonzo Ball walked into his first NBA game in more than two and a half years on Wednesday night, the crowd at the United Center gave him a standing ovation. He threw his hands in the air and pounded his heart to acknowledge the audience before playing for the first time since January 14, 2022.

Ball was limited to 15 minutes but finished Chicago's preseason win over Minnesota with 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting.

“It felt a lot better playing than watching,” Ball said after the game. “I couldn't put into words how it felt to be out there. … It was definitely a moment I will never forget.”

Since his last NBA game more than 1,000 days ago, Ball has undergone three arthroscopic procedures on his left knee, including a rare double cartilage transplant in March 2023.

“Long. Really long,” Ball said, laughing about his recovery process. “But looking back, it happened a lot quicker than I thought. … They told me that recovery would take another 18 months (after the third surgery), that sounds crazy right now, but here I am. “It’s all behind me now.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Ball said he was “full of joy” getting ready for a game again, but also acknowledged he would not be the same player he was in his last appearance in January 2022.

“It’s not the same body I started with,” Ball said after Wednesday’s shooting. “But I think I can still be productive and effective on the pitch. That’s why I’m still trying to play.”

And on Wednesday night, Ball made an impact every time he stepped on the floor. He hit his first shot of the game, a three-pointer off a corner, and then threw up three fingers while running up the floor. On another possession, he stole the ball from Julius Randle and jumped onto the Bulls' bench to save him from elimination.

It was a vintage performance from Ball. In his first season in Chicago in 2021-22, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists on 42% shooting in 35 games. And in his first game back, he did a little bit of everything: a block, a steal, an assist and a rebound.

“I thought he looked great,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “There are a lot of things he does in the game where he doesn't really use his knee or his body, he uses his brain so much. He moved really, really well.”

And most importantly for him and the Bulls: He didn't think about his knee while playing.

“That's a positive thing,” Ball said. “I didn't feel it at all. I felt like I was moving great. So now it’s just about building, just keep doing it night after night.”

Donovan said the Bulls will monitor Ball's knee to see how it responds to his first game action and that he will almost certainly have an easy day at practice on Thursday. Ball said he also plans to play in Friday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I think he has to play,” Donovan said. “That’s kind of the normal NBA rhythm, playing every other day.”

Throughout the recovery process, Ball, who turns 27 later this month, remained confident he would return to the court and seek the opinions of several knee specialists until he found a path to recovery.

“I think it's believing in myself – knowing what I felt, knowing I was at a good age to come back from it,” Ball said. “I just trust the doctors and the people around me .”

In August, Ball was cleared to participate in 5-on-5 games. He arrived at the Bulls' facility a few weeks before training camp to train with the rest of the team. He had expected to make his preseason debut earlier in the schedule, but was set back a few days after testing positive for COVID-19.

Ball also experienced bouts of muscle soreness throughout the preseason, which he said is to be expected. He stressed that both he and the team will have to manage his workload and playing time this season.

“We have it well under control at the moment, but I think that will change as the year goes on,” Ball said. “Every day will be a different challenge that we just have to overcome.”