Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball had another surgery on his left knee, the third procedure in the last 14 months.
on March 20. Uncertainty has shrouded since the injury occurred in January 2022, but this procedure throws Ball’s future into completely unprecedented territory.
Cartilage transplants are rare in professional sports. The procedure is relatively new, designed as a step down from a full knee replacement to maintain the integrity of the knee joint. No NBA player has undergone a cartilage transplant and returned to the court.
, when he suffered a small tear in the meniscus in his left knee. That has spiraled into an increasingly confounding injury requiring three surgical procedures and continuing to cause him pain.
Here’s how it all has played out for the Bulls point guard.
Timeline of Lonzo Ball’s knee injury
Jan. 14, 2022: Ball suffers meniscus tear against the Golden State Warriors.
Jan. 20, 2022: Bulls and anticipate a six- to eight-week recovery before he can return to the court.
Feb. 21, 2022: Ball posts a video on Instagram of himself dancing and playing with his daughter, which falsely appears to signal his increased mobility as he nears the end of the recovery window.
March 19, 2022: Coach Billy Donovan , complicated by a bone bruise suffered before to the meniscus tear.
March 20, 2022: Donovan says in an attempt to reduce knee swelling.
April 5, 2022: , but Donovan says the team won’t shut him down.
April 6, 2022: The Bulls . Donovan says the Bulls medical staff hasn’t suggested a second surgery.
July 12, 2022: Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas but adds the Bulls hope he will be available for training camp.
Sept. 28, 2022: , forcing him to miss training camp and the opening weeks of the season. Bulls set a four- to six-week recovery window from the procedure, but Donovan cautions his recovery could take longer after 10 months away from the court.
Oct. 26, 2022: Ball is nearing reevaluation after the second surgery on his left knee, but for the next step in the point guard’s recovery.
Nov. 30, 2022: Nine weeks after his second knee procedure, . He has returned to the weight room at the Advocate Center for moderate weightlifting and core exercises, but he hasn’t played basketball or run at full speed since January.
Jan. 28, 2023: The Bulls crept closer to . If he can’t make a drastic improvement in the next three weeks before the All-Star break, coach Billy Donovan said the Bulls likely will sit down for a formal discussion on Ball’s season — and his future.
Feb. 2, 2023: “Lonzo is going to be fine,” during an interview with the hosted by Bulls TV analyst Stacey King and WLS-Ch. 7 anchor Mark Schanowski. “He’s only 25 years old. He’s going to get his stuff together and then he’ll be ready to play and do his thing again. People just got to stay off that and thinking ‘Oh, you’re going to come back tomorrow, or next week, or next month.’”
March 20, 2023: Donovan said Ball’s doctors were optimistic after the . But with no clear timetable or standard of success to look toward, the Bulls don’t know what to expect from the next stage of Ball’s recovery.
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