Lonzo Ball Reveals Major Update on Injury Return

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Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been sidelined since the 2021-22 NBA season. Knee injuries have kept Ball off the court for all but 35 games since he joined the Bulls, but the former second overall pick could be nearing a return.
During a recent episode of his What an Experience podcast, Ball revealed that he not only expects to play in a Bulls jersey next season, but he expects to do so on opening night.
This is a huge update, because while many signs had been pointing towards Ball nearing a return, nobody knew exactly when that would be. There are still likely several steps Ball must take in order to be cleared for NBA game action, but it seems he is on track to play opening night of the 2024-25 season.
While this would be big for the Bulls, it would be even bigger for Ball himself, who has seen his NBA career be put on hold for nearly three years. This came after Ball was really starting to find himself as an NBA player, which made the injuries even more frustrating.
It will be interesting to see how the Bulls handle Ball’s return to the court, as there will likely be some restrictions as he gets going. For now, it’s just encouraging to see the former UCLA star nearing a return after such a long absence.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.