It’s officially been over two full years since Lonzo Ball stepped on an NBA basketball court for the Chicago Bulls. When Chicago brought him on board, the plan was clear – be competitive in the East. And when he was healthy, they found success. They were one of the top teams in the conference in the early stages of the season.
Ball has been dealing with a knee injury for the past two seasons. He missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season and is now slated to miss all of this year as well. The Bulls have missed him, but he remains optimistic.
The Bulls point guard recently confirmed that his plan is absolutely to get back on the court. He’s working towards it and will continue to do so.
“I definitely plan on playing again,” Ball said via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “After surgery three, I feel like it’s going well so far, no setbacks. So for me it’s just keep my head up, just keep doing the work. Rehab has been long. It feels like every day is almost the same. But I’m getting better each week and that’s all I can ask for. It feels good to be around the guys. You can feel a new energy in the building, at least coming from my point of view.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan also shared his optimistic outlook on the situation.
“The biggest thing we’ve tried to do is make sure he’s in the right hands to go through the rehab and recover and try to get as close to fully healthy as he possibly can,” Donovan said. “At some point when he’s cleared to play and this continues to move in the right direction, he’s going to need some time. I am hopeful and optimistic that he’ll be back with us.
Ball may not be back this year, but the Bulls are ready for whenever he’s ready.