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Former Lakers Guard Lonzo Ball Reacts to First Game in Over Two Years

Ball played for the Lakers from 2017-19.

Eva Geitheim

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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For the first time in over 1,000 days, former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball played in an NBA game.

The 26-year-old, who now plays for the Chicago Bulls, missed more than two full seasons of basketball before returning to the court in the Bulls' 125-123 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Ball was met with cheers from the crowd as he took the court for his first game since Jan. 2022. After coming back, Ball scored 10 points, grabbed one rebound, and passed for one assist against the Timberwolves. Ball played again during the Bulls' preseason win Friday over the Cleveland Cavaliers, recording 11 points, three rebounds, and three assists.

"To be honest, it was just a blessing," Ball said during an interview with ESPN's Shams Charania and Malika Andrews. "That number sounds so crazy, even when I read that I was like 'man, 1,000 days.' It actually went by a lot faster than it sounded. The journey has been amazing, it's been a long one."

"I've been on this journey, but it hasn't been a solo trip," Ball said. "Bulls have been with me 100 percent, my teammates have been with me along the way, training staff, higher ups, everybody. To get the game ball, I still got a jersey signed by everybody, so that moment, I'll never get that back and I'll never forget it."

Ball tore his meniscus in his first season as a Bull, 2021-22. It marked his second such injury after he previously tore the ligament when he played for the Lakers. Ball underwent three arthroscopic surgeries on his knee, including one surgery that no NBA player had ever come back from. There was belief that Ball might not be able to play professional basketball again after his injury. After all, he even had to re-learn how to walk.

Ball is not expected to take on the same role he once had before he missed over two years of basketball, but is ready to contribute to the Bulls this season.

"I feel like I can get good minutes on the court, however that may be," Ball said. "I just want to help the team win. There's nothing that I really want to do stat wise, it's just going out there and doing my job. I feel like I can still compete at a high level. That's why I wanted to come back, that's why I'm back, and that's why I'm still playing.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.

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