Lonzo Ball is officially back.
After two and a half lost seasons due to a litany of knee problems, the Chicago Bulls guard returned to the court in the season opener on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. It was his first game in 1,013 days.
He scored his first basket at the end of the first quarter, with a three-pointer that tied the game.
Ball’s last previous game was on January 14, 2022. The Bulls initially described his injury as a bone bruise, before it was revealed to be a meniscus tear that required surgery. Things only got worse from there, as Ball did not progress quickly enough to return that season. The injury progressed into the following season after he underwent a season-ending arthroscopic debridement procedure and underwent a cartilage and meniscus transplant in March 2023.
Basically, everything that’s supposed to separate Ball’s two largest bones in his left knee had to be replaced. It was no surprise that he could not return for the 2023-24 season. Ball was finally cleared to work five-on-five this summer and was able to play in the preseason.
As for what the Bulls can expect from Ball, it’s hard to know. He was a long point guard with strong defense and was finally making progress with his 3-point shot at the time of his injury, but three knee surgeries and two years of inactivity leave very little certainty. He could be as good as he was before his injuries. He could no longer be a solid rotation player.
Whatever happened, though, Wednesday was an achievement in itself.
