There wasn’t much for Lonzo Ball to say at his third media day as a Chicago Bull.
The updates were basic. Ball said he is “about halfway” through rehabilitation from his third knee surgery and has experienced “no setbacks” since the cartilage transplant procedure in March.
For Ball, no news is good news — or at least better than he’s used to receiving.
Ball is not expected to play for the Bulls this season. It will mark his second consecutive season without recording a single minute on the court. But if all goes according to plan, Ball and the Bulls are hopeful the point guard’s years-long ordeal will conclude in time for the 2024-25 season.
“It’s not really a set timeline, but I pretty much have this whole year to get as healthy as possible and be ready to go next season,” Ball said. “I’m taking each week just trying to stay positive.”
A lack of setbacks is a best-case scenario for Ball, who hasn’t played since Jan. 14, 2022. He has undergone three surgeries in the 20 months since to address lingering pain and discomfort that severely limited the mobility in his left knee.
At 25, Ball still is considered one of the league’s highest-ceiling point guards, but the burden of missing two full seasons has been a strain.
“I just miss playing,” he said. “It’s a big part of my life that’s gone. I’ve been playing organized hoops since I was 6. So to be out these last two years, that’s been the toughest part, just not being able to physically get on the court and put the jersey on and go to battle.”
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An additional challenge for Ball is to remain integrated with the Bulls roster as he faces a second consecutive year off the court — all while balancing a rehab program based two time zones away.
Ball plans to split time this season between Chicago and Los Angeles, where his surgeon and rehab specialists are located. As the team seeks a replacement as the starting point guard this season, Ball said he’s eager to offer guidance and assistance.
“I’m still a part of the team,” he said. “I’m an open book and I’m here to help in any way I can. If it’s taking guys one on one or talking in front of the team, I can do any of it.”
Despite the daunting timeline for his eventual return to the court, Ball said he’s buoyed by the clear expectations set for him this season.
This time next year, Ball said, he’s determined to sit in the same chair before the media — but this time to lay out his plan to return to the court and retake the starting point guard position.
“Everything happens for a reason. I couldn’t control getting hurt or not getting hurt or anything like that,” Ball said. “It’s just something that happened to me. It’s part of my career.
“I try to stay positive. I don’t look at the negatives. I try to think about what I can do to get better and that’s how I wake up every day and live.”