Bulls guard Lonzo Ball made a surprising declaration at media day on Monday. After two-and-a-half years away from NBA action, Ball says he expects to be ready to play in Chicago's first game of the regular season.
Ball has been hampered with injuries and setbacks in his recovery process for two-and-a-half seasons, and hasn't played in an NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022. It started out with a knee surgery to address a torn meniscus that forced him to miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season. He was expected to make a full recovery after a year, but setbacks in his rehab process pushed that further down the line. He then underwent another knee surgery, this time an arthroscopic debridement procedure to clear up debris from the previous surgery, and there was hope that he would return after a normal rehab process. However, in March 2023 Ball had his third surgery in two years, an experimental cartilage transplant that gave him a new meniscus.
The third time ended up being the charm, as Ball slowly progressed and was seen taking part in 5-on-5 scrimmages with other NBA players in late August. That marked the first time Ball had been seen in any game simulated action, which is a significant milestone in his recovery. And now, we have an answer on when his long-awaited return could happen.
