Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has made significant progress in his recovery, aiming for a return to the court in the 2024-25 NBA season. The 26-year-old point guard has been sidelined for nearly three years after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee during a home game against the Golden State Warriors on January 14, 2022. Since then, Ball has yet to make a return to play.
Lonzo Ball Nearing Return After Major Injury Breakthrough
The Bulls recently confirmed that Ball has begun participating in full-contact five-on-five scrimmages as part of his recovery plan. These scrimmages, scheduled to start by August, have been completed without any setbacks, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ball’s meniscus injury, which occurred over two years ago, caused him to miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season, as well as the entire 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons due to ongoing recovery challenges and persistent knee pain.
The Bulls have struggled during Ball’s absence. Before his injury, the team was performing well in the 2021-22 season, holding the top spot in the Eastern Conference after 60 games. At that time, Ball was averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 3.1 three-pointers made, and 1.8 steals per game. However, after his injury, the Bulls finished the season with a losing record, dropping to the sixth seed and losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The Bulls have failed to make the playoffs since, losing in the play-in tournament as the ninth seed for the past two seasons.
Ball’s Recovery Involved a Donor Meniscus
Over the past two years, Ball has undergone three surgeries, including an experimental cartilage transplant. On a May 2024 episode of his podcast, *The WAE Show (What An Experience!)*, Ball revealed that he received a new meniscus from a donor.
“To sum it up, it started with a meniscus tear back when I was with the Lakers. After tearing it a few more times, there was barely any meniscus left, leading to bone-on-bone contact. I had to get a new meniscus from a donor, along with a bone allograft and some new cartilage,” Ball explained.
During the same podcast episode, Ball expressed confidence in his ability to return to the court by the opening night of the 2024-25 season. Last year, the Bulls applied for a Disabled Player Exception, fearing Ball might never play again. This granted them $10.2 million in cap relief, which could be used to trade for a player in the final year of their contract, sign a one-year deal, or claim a waived player.
The Bulls acquired Ball through a sign-and-trade deal in the summer of 2021, signing him to a four-year, $85 million contract. Before joining the Bulls, Ball played two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019.
