After missing the past two seasons with a serious knee injury, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball hopes to be in uniform on opening night.
Ball, 26, last played in a game for Chicago on January 14, 2022. Multiple procedures on his left knee since then include a rare double cartilage transplant.
“I’m fine,” Ball told reporters Monday at media day. “Great to be here, blessed to be here, for sure, first and foremost. Happy to see you all again. I know it’s been a minute. But I’m looking forward to camp, ready to start the year. That’s the goal [to be ready for opening night]. Obviously, we can’t really tell the future, but that’s the plan I’m on. I think I’ll be ready for the first game, for sure.”
A successful comeback would be something of a medical miracle for Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. His procedure last year included a meniscus transplant and osteochondral allograft to replace the damaged cartilage in the joint.
“This is something that no one has really come back from,” Ball said. “So I’ll be first. We’ve had a few conversations about it so far. Obviously, back-to-backs are off the table now; there’s definitely going to be a minutes limit. We don’t have a set number yet, but there will be one.
“It’s going to be constant communication throughout the year just because this is kind of a new project, if you will, that we all have to accomplish together. I almost have a brand new knee. So it’s always going to be a little bit different than what God gave me to begin with. But I feel healthy enough to play So that’s all that really matters, just managing it throughout the year.
Acquired in a trade with New Orleans prior to the 2021-22 season, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 35 starts before being shut down.
He has career averages of 11.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 252 games (239 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers (2017-19), Pelicans (2019-21) and Bulls.
“I just feel like this was just my journey,” Ball said. “It’s not like I wanted to get hurt, it’s just something that happened. You have to deal with obstacles that come in your life and overcome them the best way you know how to do. That’s what I tried to do, stay focused, stay focused and just put all the work I can.”
