Lonzo Ball needed less than a minute to reintroduce himself to the NBA on Wednesday night. Forty-three seconds, to be exact.

When Ball checked into the preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the 6-minute, 8-second mark of the first quarter, the guard wasn’t weighed down with expectations. He was greeted by a resounding ovation from the United Center crowd while his teammates took to their feet on the sideline, gesturing earnestly to fans to welcome his return.

It had been 1,006 days since Ball suffered what appeared to be a minor meniscus injury in his left knee that led to three operations, two seasons on the sidelines and looming doubt over his ability to ever return. Ball didn’t need to show much — just that he could still hoop, that the last 33 months of perplexing stasis hadn’t ended his career just yet.

But Ball wanted more. And the second time he trekked down to the offensive side of the court, he slipped out to the corner to catch a ball without a defender within arms reach, elevating to bury a 3-pointer for his first points since Jan. 14, 2022.

The basket reflected a turning point for Ball, who went on to play 15:07 in a 125-123 victory. Ball ended the game with the ultimate victory — for the entire time he was on the court, the guard said he didn’t feel a single twinge in the knee.

“It felt a lot better playing than watching, I’ll say that much,” Ball said after the win. “I can’t even really put into words how I felt out there. I was just blessed and happy to be out there. All the support around me was great all night. It was definitely a moment I’ll never forget.”

Ball finished with 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, including 2-for-4 from 3-point range. In the third quarter, he sliced through a backdoor cut and laced a reverse layup into the basket. And even on his two misses from behind the arc he showed promising growth, easily popping up from awkward landings after taking contact at the end of both shots.

Some of the most promising aspects of his play took place on the other end of the court. During his second rotation in the first half, Ball scrambled out of help defense to block a Julius Randle shot from behind. Barely a minute later, he darted over as a help defender to poke the ball away from Randle again, tossing himself onto the Bulls bench and flipping the ball behind his back and into the hands of Zach LaVine.

Both plays felt like glancing three years in the past, a glimpse at the defender who used to terrorize opponents with shifty feet and quick hands. The idea of reclaiming that version of Ball is a tantalizing prospect for the Bulls.

“He sees things happening and developing on the floor before they actually occur,” Donovan said. “He can kind of sniff things out. We can really, really use his mind and his IQ.”

Preseason photos: Chicago Bulls 125, Minnesota Timberwolves 123

Wednesday was only the latest in a series of milestones for Ball — and, most importantly, it was only a preseason game. Ball treated it as such, opting not to fly in any immediate family for the game.

But the effort was a positive sign for Ball. He has not experienced any setbacks since returning to five-on-five scrimmaging in August outside of a bout of COVID-19, which kept him off the court ahead of training camp and caused him to lose close to 10 pounds. After getting his weight back up, Ball said he felt strong and prepared to play.

The Bulls are keeping expectations low for Ball’s return to the court — he was on a firm 16-minute restriction, playing two sets of five-minute rotations in the first half and checking in with the medical team at halftime. This pattern will continue into the regular season.

The next 48 hours will be crucial for Ball. He will undergo further evaluation Thursday morning, and any soreness could result in restrictions on his activity in practice. But Ball also is confident he will be available for Friday’s preseason finale against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ball has been blunt about the realities of his return. He is still experiencing regular soreness in the knee, a nagging constant he will monitor for the remainder of his career. And he won’t be the same player on the court — not Wednesday and perhaps not ever.

“It’s definitely going to be different,” Ball said. “It’s not the same body I started off with. But I think I can still be productive and effective on the court. That’s why I’m still trying to play. … I feel comfortable out there. So other than that, I just got to hoop.”

Still, this is a major step for both Ball and the future of sports medicine. No player has returned to the NBA — or a major American professional sports league — after undergoing a knee cartilage transplant.

Lonzo Ball on his emotions tonight: “Felt a lot better playing than watching, I’ll say that much.” pic.twitter.com/mVOH5Fs231

— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) October 17, 2024

Ball received two grafts in his third and final operation, one to fully replace his meniscus and the other to replace the cartilage meant to separate the bone in the knee from other parts of the joint. This combination only increased the severity and rarity of the treatment — and Ball’s odds for a full recovery.

Ball’s talent isn’t the question. He has an almost uncanny feel for the court, for the movement of his teammates and the picture-perfect placement of a pass. But for too many years, Ball’s body has not cooperated, not allowing him to sustain his full potential for a reasonable stretch of a season.

“His rookie year, certainly you would say his trajectory was on a path that he could have been an elite point guard in this league,” Donovan said. “And then to have that taken away and see where he’s at now — for me personally, I just am happy that he can get back doing what he loves.”

The team gave Lonzo the game ball 🥹 pic.twitter.com/ejpyeXLiFR

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 17, 2024

Few people celebrated Ball’s return to the court more than his teammates. Coby White directed fans to stand up when Ball checked in for the first time. LaVine raced onto the court after the final buzzer to collect the game ball. And the collective voice of the NBA agreed on this same sentiment: The league is better with Ball.

The guard said he received an outpouring of support from teammates and opponents alike, both in public on social media and in private. Ball also voiced gratitude for the Bulls organization, which has continued to emphasize the importance of a slow and steady return to preserve his health for the rest of his career — even if he doesn’t stay in Chicago.

“They could have just pushed me to the side and kept moving,” Ball said. “Instead, they’ve been with me the whole way and given me the best treatment, the best help I can get. All the hard work, it wasn’t just from me. It’s from a collective unit and it all paid off to have me back on the court today.”