Chicago, Illinois – Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, who has been absent from the NBA court since January 2022, opened up about his journey back from knee problems over the last two years. He revealed that part of his recovery involved undergoing a meniscus transplant from a donor.

During an episode of his podcast, Ball discussed how his knee issues stemmed from tearing his meniscus for the first time in 2018 while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. After facing recurring injuries to his left knee, Ball found himself with no cartilage left, leading to him needing a meniscus transplant procedure last year, alongside a cartilage transplant in the same knee.

Following over a year of consultations with specialists to identify the issue, Ball underwent cartilage transplant surgery in March 2023, marking his third surgery on his left knee within a year. Both Ball and the Bulls expressed confidence in this surgery giving him the best chance to return to the court in the future, ruling him out for the most recent season.

Although Ball missed the entirety of the 2023-24 season, he has made progress in his rehabilitation. He recently shared a video of himself dunking a basketball on social media, indicating that he is feeling better and estimated his knee to be at around 70%.

Ball decided to exercise his player option for the final season of his four-year, $80 million contract with the Bulls. He remains optimistic about being ready to play at the start of the 2024-25 season, stating that he expects to be on the court for the first game.

The Bulls have been cautiously optimistic about Ball’s return, acknowledging that he still has hurdles to overcome before rejoining the team. While he has yet to participate in full scrimmages or engage in physical contact, the team is hopeful that he will progress enough to partake in team activities later in the offseason.

Overall, Ball’s journey back to the court has been a challenging one, filled with setbacks and perseverance. As he continues to work towards his goal of returning to play, both he and the Bulls remain hopeful for a successful comeback in the upcoming season.