CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball said he will be restricted to 16 minutes per game as he attempts a comeback following 2 1/2 seasons away from basketball.
Ball, who hasn’t appeared in an NBA contest in 1,006 days, will make his long-awaited return in the Bulls’ home preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
“I’m going to have to manage it all year. That’s just the reality of it,” Ball told local reporters following the team’s shootaround Wednesday morning.
“Hopefully (my playing time) gets up and up. But right now I’m on a 16-minute restriction. So no more than 16. Obviously it could be less than that. But that’s the number right now,” he said.
Ball underwent three surgeries on his left knee this year to address chronic soreness he began experiencing during the 2021-22 season, his first with the Bulls. He was limited to 35 games that season before undergoing meniscus and cartilage replacements. The surgeries were considered to be last-ditch, career-saving procedures.
No player in NBA history has achieved the type of comeback Ball is on the doorstep of making. Ball, who turns 27 on Oct. 27, always expressed confidence he’d be back.
“I think just the belief in myself,” Ball explained. “Knowing what I was feeling. Knowing that I was a good age to come back from it. And just trusting in the doctors and the people around me. And ultimately, I got back on the court.”
Asked to sum up the last two years, Ball grinned and responded “really long.”
“But looking back on it, it went by a lot faster than I thought,” he said. “Getting the first surgery and then coming back and then having the second and third, and they’re telling me 18 more months of recovery. That sounds crazy in the moment. But now I’m here and it’s all behind me now. So I’m happy.”
Ball doesn’t expect to immediately be the same player who was emerging as a two-way star three seasons ago. He still has the elite court vision and savvy that helped to make him a special talent. But he must now compensate for being a step slow. The defensive end is where Ball will have the biggest adjustment, particularly fighting through screens and recovering on plays that an opponent has gained the advantage.
“It’s definitely going to be different,” Ball said. “It’s not the same body I started off with. But I think I can still be productive and effective on the court. That’s why I’m still trying to play. So for me, it’s just going out there and doing what I can to help the team win.”
Ball said he feels comfortable and has complete confidence in his knee.
“I’m just going to go out there and play freely, man,” he said. “I’m not thinking about it too much. I’m cleared to play so I’m going to play.”
Ball also voiced his appreciation for the support of family, friends, fans, teammates, both current and former, and the Bulls franchise.
“I’ve got nothing but love and respect for them,” Ball said of the Bulls organization. “They could have just pushed me to the side and kept moving. Instead, they’ve been with me the whole way and given me the best treatment, the best help I can get. All the hard work wasn’t just from me. It was from a collective unit, and it all paid off to have me back on the court today.”
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(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
