Lonzo Ball: “I can still compete at a high level with the Bulls after returning from knee injury” | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is confident he can return to a meaningful role for the team after being sidelined for more than two NBA seasons due to ongoing knee problems.

“I honestly feel like I can just get good minutes on the pitch, whatever that may be,” he continued NBA today. “I just want to help the team win. There's nothing I really want to do statistically. I just go out and do my job and I feel like I can still compete at a high level. That's why I wanted it. “Come back.”

Ball's last regular-season appearance was in January 2022. Since then, he has undergone three different surgeries on his left knee, overall raising concerns about his future as a player.

The 26-year-old made his long-awaited return in Chicago's 125-123 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. He came off the bench for 15 minutes and finished the game with 10 points and a rebound, assist, steal and block.

During a September appearance at 670 The Score's Mully & Haugh ShowHead coach Billy Donovan pointed out that there are still many variables when it comes to Ball's usage and availability, even when he's healthy again.

“What (Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas) is critically important is that we don’t know how he will react after games and after practices,” Donovan said. “Because we didn’t see it. That’s what we started with initially.”

“Is it something where he plays for 15 to 20 minutes and now he has to take the next day off? Can he play for 25 to 30 minutes? How does he react? The back-to-backs, we don't know about that.” So we'll wait to find out.

Facing Minnesota was a huge step in Ball's comeback, but it was far from the final point in his journey to becoming a dynamic two-way presence again.