Lonzo Ball of the Bulls returns to practice following an emotional comeback

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball participated in a gentle team practice on Thursday, following his first appearance on the court in two and a half years during a preseason game.

Ball came off the bench for 15 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and even making his first shot, a 3-pointer from the corner.

Teammate Zach LaVine shared, "It was an emotional moment in a positive way," at Thursday's practice, as reported by Chicago Sports Network. "We made sure to give him the game ball because that's a huge moment. No one has made a comeback from what he's been through."

Ball's journey included three arthroscopic surgeries and a double cartilage transplant in his left knee. He had not played in an NBA game since January 14, 2022, when he scored 15 points and had three assists in 24 minutes against the Golden State Warriors.

"I had a goal to return to the court and I knew it would be a long journey, but it was all worth it," said the 26-year-old after Wednesday's game. "This is what I've been looking forward to, so I'm happy it's finally here and I can do what I love."

The Bulls have one more preseason game before their regular season opener on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans. They will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

Ball was acquired by the Bulls in a trade with the Pelicans before the 2021-22 season. He averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals in 35 starts with Chicago before being sidelined.

In his career, he has averaged 11.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 252 games (239 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers (2017-19), Pelicans (2019-21), and Bulls.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was absent from Thursday's practice due to illness.