It's been a long road back to the Chicago Bulls regular roster for Lonzo Ball after a slew of injuries disrupted his career. He made history earlier this fall by becoming the first professional athlete to rejoin his team after undergoing a double cartilage transplant that sidelined him for more than a year.
Mr. Ball became a Chicago Bull in 2021 and played 35 games before knee pain forced him to miss games in January 2022, according to ESPN. He previously tore his meniscus in 2018 while with the Los Angeles Lakers and has a history of knee issues. His condition worsened until he had lost cartilage in his left knee and needed surgery.
He underwent a double cartilage transplant on his left knee in March 2023, with the goal of returning to the team. No professional athlete had returned to elite play after the unique procedure, which was performed by Brian Cole, MD, head of the Cartilage Research and Restoration Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
The high stress professional athletes place on their joints makes it difficult for them to perform the same movements they did before surgery. Mr. Ball's ability to return is inspiring, as detailed in a recent ESPN article. He needed the right physical therapy and mindset to undergo the recovery program and then adjust his game to avoid reinjury. Mr. Ball attacked the recovery process with tenacity and a raw desire to play basketball again.
Two-and-a-half years later, in October, Mr. Ball checked in for his first NBA game post-surgery to a standing ovation, according to ABC News. He played 15 minutes and contributed 10 points to the Bulls' preseason victory.
Mr. Ball suffered a slight set-back later in the season with a wrist injury, but returned to play after a few weeks. His recovery gives other elite athletes hope about returning to play after a double cartilage transplant. By gathering data and leveraging artificial intelligence, clinicians can become even more precise in developing the right treatment programs for athletes with similar conditions.