It’s been more than 1,000 days since Lonzo Ball last played in an NBA game, and with three knee surgeries and two and a half seasons ignored, Ball is expected to prepare for his return to basketball Wednesday night when the Bulls rush against the Timberwolves. in a preseason game, according to The Athletic.
Ball stated throughout Media Month that he hopes to play games within the Bulls’ usual season opener on Oct. 23 against the Pelicans, but with Chicago’s first two preseason games remaining, the question arose as to whether he would be fit for that timeline. Ball has been a player throughout training camp, but had to work his way up to participate in the sporting action. Now it looks like that speed has arrived, and we’ll get to see Ball back on the court in a Bulls jersey for the first time since Jan. 14, 2022.
It’s a big milestone for Ball, who has suffered several setbacks on his journey to comeback so far. His initial knee trauma was a torn meniscus, which was once intended to keep him out for future surgery. However, setbacks along the way forced Ball to undergo alternate knee surgery, which led to an arthroscopic debridement process to remove remnants of the previous surgical operation. Ball was expected to undergo a normal rehabilitation procedure, but in March 2023 he underwent his third surgical operation in two years, an experimental cartilage transplant that gave him a fresh meniscus.
Ball stated during Media Month that he basically has a “new knee,” and the month noted that his athleticism will no longer be the same, it seems his basketball IQ can prepare for that. We’ll have to see how that loss of athleticism truly affects Ball’s game, but it shouldn’t hurt his staying power, especially considering he’s not returning to the same Bulls team he joined in 2021. With Chicago Buying and Al Selling by Josh Giddey this summer, nearly marked the end of Ball’s speed in defending the release point. Ball will, in all likelihood, come off the Bulls’ bench, and while he can still play games in an important spot in the rotation, he won’t be as reliable as he once was.
Chicago will still need its top defense, three-point shooting and elite facilitation, but with a crowded backcourt that still features young guards like Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, Ball’s position may not be as important as it was when the Bulls. They are competing for the playoffs in 2022. But regardless of Ball’s role on the Bulls, having him back on the line is a huge plus, not only for Chicago, but also for the former Refuse. 2 general selection occupation.
Before the injuries, Ball was one of the top perimeter defenders in the league and was the driver of a high-powered Bulls offense in 2022. We’ll have to see if Ball can return to the player he was. once, or if you can modify your game so that it is still efficient. If you do, you will surely have revitalized what was once a promising occupation.
