We’ve all heard about Lonzo Ball’s long journey to recovery from his knee injury, which has kept him off the NBA courts since January 2022.
On his podcast, The WAE Show, Lonzo shared that he needed a meniscus transplant from a donor as part of his recovery. His knee troubles began in 2018 when he first tore his meniscus while playing for the Lakers.
Details of the Injury and Surgery:
Lonzo explained that after multiple injuries, he had no cartilage left in his knee. “There was no more meniscus left, and bone on bone was rubbing,” he said. This led to a procedure where he received a new meniscus, bone allograft, and new cartilage.
He spent over a year consulting various specialists to find the best solution. In March 2023, Lonzo underwent his third surgery within a year. The Bulls were hopeful this would finally resolve his issues and get him back on the court.
We were trying to figure out what the problem was so that was a wasted year,” Lonzo expressed on his own podcast.
Progress and Rehabilitation:
Despite missing the entire 2023/24 season, Lonzo has been able to train without pain recently. A video surfaced showing him practicing at about 70% readiness for return.
I think it’s amazing how determined athletes can be!
Earlier this month, Lonzo mentioned he’s training without pain but will continue working hard throughout the summer to be ready for next season. He hopes to play from day one of the 2024/25 season.
“Good enough to play but it could still get better I feel like,” said Lonzo who exercised his player option earlier this month for the final season of an $80 million contract. “Still got a long summer ahead of me but definitely looking forward to the future.”
Lonzo Ball is gearing up for a thrilling comeback on opening night next season! 🙌 After more than 2.5 years, he's ready to hit the court again! 🏀🔥#dallasmavericks #basketball #lebronjames #sydney #washington
— BNA 🇦🇺 (@AusBballnews)
Looking Ahead:
Having played only 35 games with Chicago so far, Lonzo is confident he’ll be fully ready by October. “I firmly believe that,” Ball insisted. “That’s the plan I’m on and I haven’t had any setbacks.”
The Bulls are also optimistic about his return. “We’re just going to wait and see how he progresses over the next couple months,” said Arturas Karnisovas from Bulls’ management team. “Everything is looking good with no setbacks.”
Let’s hope we see him back in action soon!
