Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, enjoying first game since 22, ‘full of joy’

CHICAGO – Bulls guard Lonzo Ball said he’s “overjoyed” to be preparing for his first NBA game in more than two years, but he also said he won’t be the same player he used to be when he finished. the court file in January 2022.

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

Ball will be limited to no more than 16 minutes in Wednesday night’s preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

His last appearance in a Chicago game was on January 14, 2022. As of the earliest, he has undergone three arthroscopic procedures on his left knee, including an unprecedented double cartilage transplant in March 2023.

“Long. Really long,” Ball mentioned with amusement as he rewatched his healing procedure. “But looking back, it was a lot quicker than I thought… They told me I had 18 more months of recovery left.” [after the third surgery]It sounds crazy right now, but I’m here now. “It’s all behind us now.”

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.

Throughout the healing process, Ball, who will turn 27 this hour, remained confident that he would return to the court, seeking reviews from more than one knee expert, until he found a path to healing.

“I think it’s self-confidence: knowing what I was feeling, knowing I was at a good age to recover,” Ball said. “I just trust the doctors and the people around me.”

In August, Ball was cleared to play 5-on-5 scrimmages. He arrived at the Bulls facility a few weeks before training camp to begin working with the rest of the team. He had hoped to make his preseason debut early on schedule, but recovered for a few days and then tested positive for COVID.

Ball has also had bouts of soreness during the preseason, which he said is to be expected. He emphasized that both he and the team must control their workload and enjoy themselves beyond this season.

“We have a good handle right now, but I think it’s going to change throughout the year,” Ball said. “Every day will be a different challenge that we’ll just have to overcome.”