Yahoo Sports Lonzo Ball injury update, timeline: Chicago Bulls star set to make long-awaited NBA return
Lonzo Ball became a sensation in college, the first in a line of basketball-playing brothers with a ubiquitous father who doubled as their hype man. But it’s been more than 1,000 days since Ball played in an NBA game, his promising career sidelined by a left knee injury. Until now, perhaps.
Ball is expected to make his 2024 preseason debut when the Chicago Bulls host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, according to ESPN. He last appeared in an NBA game for the Bulls on Jan. 14, 2022, a 138-86 loss to the Golden State Warriors in which the major story initially appeared to be the health of Zach LaVine after he experienced discomfort in his knee in the first quarter. Ball actually played almost 24 minutes and scored 15 points in a matchup of teams that had the best records in the Eastern and Western Conference at the time.
Three surgeries and nearly three years later, Ball is entering the final year of his four-year, $85-million contract having played just 35 regular-season games for the Bulls. But he's also on track for a history-making comeback attempt that could be one of the more compelling storylines of this NBA season.
No NBA player has ever returned to play after undergoing the cartilage transplant procedure Ball resorted to in March 2023 after he was still experiencing pain during basketball activities following two previous procedures on his left knee. To get ready for his comeback attempt, here’s a timeline of everything Ball endured during this 33-month journey back from a knee injury that initially didn't seem so severe:
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Lonzo Ball injury update
ESPN reported Monday Ball is set to make his return to the court for the Chicago Bulls in Wednesday's preseason home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He did not play in the Bulls' first two preseason games, with coach Billy Donovan citing a bout with COVID that limited his workouts ahead of training camp and precaution for left knee soreness. Ball said last week on his podcast that he anticipated playing in two of the team's final three preseason games. If he plays on Wednesday, it will have been 1,006 days since his last NBA game.
Lonzo Ball knee injury timeline
Jan. 15, 2022: The Bulls ruled Ball out of their game at the Boston Celtics with “left knee soreness.”
Jan. 20, 2022: The Bulls announced Ball would “undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to return in 6-8 weeks” due to a meniscus tear and bone bruise on his left knee.
April 6, 2022: The Bulls announced Ball would not return for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. The team said Ball “continues to experience pain with high-level physical activity. He will continue daily treatment and rehabilitation in preparation for the 2022-23 season.”
Sept. 21, 2022: The Bulls announced Ball would undergo another surgery on his injured left knee called an "arthroscopic debridement" and miss the start of the 2022-23 NBA season. The team said Ball would be re-evaluated in 4 to 6 weeks after feeling discomfort while ramping up activities. The Bulls had him take 10 days of rest in hopes of resolving the issues, but Ball said he felt pain again when he started preparing to play.
Sept. 27, 2022: Ball admitted to reporters, “I still can’t play basketball. I can’t run or jump.” He noted the arthroscopic debridement would be the third surgery on his left knee because he also underwent arthroscopic surgery on the same knee in 2018. “There’s a range from, like, 30 to 60 degrees when my knee is bent that I have no force. And I can’t catch myself,” Ball said, describing his condition at the time. “So until I can do those things, I can’t play. I did rehab. It was getting better. But it was not to a point where I could get out there and actually go out there and run at full speed or jump. So surgery was the next step. ... I don't really want to rush anything."
Feb. 21, 2023: The Bulls officially shut Ball down for the 2022-23 season after he was unable to participate in basketball-related activities following his second surgery. “Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Ball continues to experience performance limiting discomfort during participation in high level basketball-related activities,” Bulls Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a team statement. “Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return-to-play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season. The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023-24 season.”
March 16, 2023: The Bulls announced Ball would undergo a cartilage transplant surgery on his left knee and be out indefinitely. The procedure, Ball later explained, involved him receiving a new meniscus from a donor. Said Bulls coach Billy Donovan on March 20, once the cartilage transplant procedure was complete: "I do know that Lonzo, just based on the information he was able to gather from different sets of doctors, [was] making the decision that he felt like this was the best chance to be able to get him back on the court. We all understand that that is going to be an uphill battle for him, but I know he's going to do everything possible in his rehab to get himself back on the court."
June 23, 2023: The Bulls announced they were expecting Ball to miss the entire 2023-24 season. “Everything is going well,” Karnisovas told reporters. “Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season and he’s going to continue on his recovery. If he comes back, it would be great but we’re just going to treat this offseason and getting ready for the season that he’s not going to be back.”
Aug. 22, 2023: Ball posted a video in response to comments made by Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's "First Take" and declared, "I'm coming back." Smith previously said on air, "something went wrong in terms of these procedures that he's had. I don't think he'll ever be the same based off what we're seeing and hearing and reading about. I've heard that it's even hard for him to get up from a seated position."
Dec. 28, 2023: Billy Donovan told reporters Ball was expected to return to running in January and expressed optimism about the success of Ball’s most recent surgery. “The pain that he was experiencing has been eliminated,” Donovan said.
March 9, 2024: Donovan told reporters Ball had begun cutting, jumping and sprinting in controlled, non-contact situations. A week earlier, video of Ball conducting a basketball workout had surfaced on social media. NBC Sports Chicago reported two days later Ball had been cleared for “advanced rehab activities.” “Some of the workouts have been really, really positive and he has progressed,” Donovan said. “He has responded well. Some of the things that medical guys have shown me is he looks good moving. I’m just really happy for him personally for his progress. He has worked hard to put himself in this position. And hopefully, he can continue to progress.”
July 26, 2024: Ball revealed on his “What an Experience” podcast that he would be cleared to participate in 5-on-5 workouts in August.
Aug. 7, 2024: The Bulls confirmed Ball had started playing in full contact 5-on-5 scrimmages
Sept. 30, 2024: Karnisovas was asked at the Bulls’ media whether Ball would be ready for Opening Night this season. “That’s the plan,” Chicago’s executive vice president of basketball operations responded."Going into camp, we’ll have to bring him up slowly. He’s already played 5-on-5 but we haven't seen him go through camp so there will be lot of learning,” Karnisovas said. “It will take time."Ball echoed that sentiment, telling reporters at the event he planned to be ready to play in the team’s first regular-season game. Both Ball and the team noted he would be under a minutes restriction and not initially play on back-to-back nights.“I pretty much have a brand-new knee, so it’s always going to be a little different than what God gave me to start off with,” Ball said. “But I’m feeling good. I’m feeling healthy enough to play. That’s all that really matters, just managing it throughout the year and being available...I think I’ll be ready for the first game, for sure.”
Oct. 11, 2024: Ball said on his podcast he expects to play in two of the Bulls’ final three preseason games. Chicago plays at the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday before wrapping up the preseason schedule with home games this week against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
Follow USA TODAY Network sports reporter Mark Giannotto on social media @mgiannotto and email him at mgiannotto@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lonzo Ball injury timeline: When will Bulls star make NBA return?
