Chicago Bulls’ Lonzo Ball Returns to NBA Basketball After Spending 1,006 Days on the Sidelines Due to Injuries

Lonzo Ball is back from injury hell! The 26-year-old guard last played an NBA game in January 2022 before debilitating knee injuries took away almost three years of his basketball career. Ball didn’t play in the NBA for 1,006 days due to a knee injury which required three surgeries and a cartilage transplant to recover from.

Lonzo Ball made his highly anticipated return in Chicago Bulls’ 125-123 Preseason win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite playing NBA basketball after almost three years, Lonzo put on an impressive showing. He registered 10 points, one assist, one rebound, one steal and one block in just 16 minutes of playing time. Moreover, he was efficient, shooting 4-of-6 from the field and knocking down two of his four attempts from beyond the arc. In a heartfelt gesture, Lonzo’s teammates presented him with the match ball following his return.  

While presenting the ball, an emotional Coby White said, “Today was going to be a special day regardless of the outcome. 'Zo is back, man. It's a blessing to be a part of this journey. A lot of us have been here through it all, seeing the highs and lows. This was a hell of a night for him. Here is the game ball brother." Zach LaVine also gave Lonzo a Bulls jersey signed by every teammate before saying, “One more thing, just like Coby said. I respect you more than anything because of what you've been through. We love you and we care about you, I'm glad to see you back."   

As previously revealed by Lonzo Ball, he is starting the 2024/25 season with a 16-minute restriction to protect his knee. In a pre-match interview, Ball stated that, “I’m going to have to manage it all year. That’s just the reality of it. Hopefully (my playing time) gets up and up, but right now, I’m on a 16-minute restriction. So, no more than 16. Obviously, it could be less than that, but that’s the number right now.” Lonzo Ball’s return is a huge boost for the Chicago Bulls, as they have struggled in recent years without Lonzo. The last time Lonzo played a regular season game, the Bulls were on track to win 50 games thanks to a 27-13 record by January 2022. However, since his injury, the Bulls have managed to win just 98 of their 206 games. Furthermore, the Bulls haven’t made it to the Eastern Conference playoffs since they were the sixth seed in 2022 playoffs. 

Before his injury, Lonzo Ball was having a breakout 2021-22 season. While he wasn’t an unknown quantity by any stretch of the imagination, his improved jumper and lockdown defense made him one of the best two-way guards in the league. Prior to his knee injury, Lonzo Ball was putting up impressive numbers, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting a solid 42.3% from beyond the arc. He was a crucial part of a Bulls team that looked like serious title contenders. But once Ball went down, Chicago’s season took a turn for the worse. They ended up finishing sixth in the East with 46 wins. To put their drop-off into perspective: by 14th January 2022, the Bulls had already racked up 27 wins in just 40 games. From that point on, they managed only 19 wins in their final 42 games. 

Though Lonzo Ball has finally made his return, fans shouldn't expect him to perform at the same level. He will need time to adjust to his new circumstances, but supporters will be cheering him on, hoping he completes his comeback journey and avoids being forced into early retirement.