Lonzo Ball didn’t need even a minute to reintroduce himself to the NBA on Wednesday night. Forty-three seconds, to be exact.

When Ball entered the preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves six minutes and eight seconds into the first quarter, the guard wasn’t burdened with expectations. He was greeted with a thunderous ovation from the United Center crowd, while his teammates stood on the sidelines and gestured solemnly to the fans to welcome his return.

It had been 1,006 days since Ball suffered a minor meniscus injury to his left knee that led to three surgeries, two seasons on the sidelines and looming doubt about his ability to ever return. Ball didn’t have much to show — just that he could still hoop, that the past 33 months of confusing stasis hadn’t ended his career.

But Bal wanted more. And the second time he walked to the offensive side of the field, he slipped to the corner to catch a ball without a defender within reach, burying a three-pointer for his first points since January 14, 2022.

The basket reflected a turning point for Ball, who played 15:07 in a 125-123 win. Ball finished the game with the final victory – the entire time he was on the court, the guard said he didn’t feel a single twinge in his knee.

“It felt a lot better playing than watching, I can say that,” Ball said after the win. “I can’t even really put into words how I felt there. I was just blessed and happy to be there. All the support around me was amazing all night. It was definitely a moment I will 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 cut through a backdoor cut and put a reverse layup into the basket. And even on his two misses from behind the arc, he showed promising growth, easily emerging from tough landings after connecting at the end of both shots.

Some of the most promising aspects of his game came at the other end of the field. On his second rotation in the first half, Ball scrambled out of the relief defense to block a Julius Randle shot from behind. Just a minute later, he stepped up as a relief defender to poke the ball away from Randle again, throwing himself onto the Bulls bench and throwing the ball into Zach LaVine’s hands behind his back.

Both plays felt like I was looking back three years into the past, a glimpse of the defender who terrorized opponents with clever feet and quick hands. The idea of ​​getting that version of Ball back is a tantalizing prospect for the Bulls.

“He sees things happening and developing before they actually happen,” Donovan said. “He can sniff things out. We can really use his mind and his IQ.”

Preseason Photos: Chicago Bulls 125, Minnesota Timberwolves 123

Wednesday was just the latest in a series of milestones for Ball — and, more importantly, it was just a preseason game. Ball treated it as such and opted not to fly in with immediate family for the game.

But the effort was a positive sign for Ball. He hasn’t had a single setback since returning to five-on-five scrimming in August, outside of a bout of COVID-19 that kept him off the court prior to training camp and lost nearly five pounds. After putting the weight back on, Ball said he felt strong and ready to play.

The Bulls are keeping expectations low for Ball’s return to the field. He was severely restricted for 16 minutes, playing two five-minute sets in the first half and reporting to the medical team at half-time. This pattern will continue in the regular season.

The next 48 hours will be crucial for Ball. He will be further examined on Thursday morning and any pain could lead to restrictions on his activities in practice. But Ball is also confident he will be available for Friday’s preseason finale against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ball has been blunt about the reality of his return. He still experiences regular knee pain, a nagging constant that will follow him for the rest of his career. And he won’t be the same player on the field – not on Wednesday and perhaps never.

“It will definitely be different,” Ball said. ‘It’s not the same body I started with. But I think I can still be productive and effective on the field. That’s why I still try to play. … I feel comfortable there. So other than that I just had to hoop.

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

Ball received two grafts during his third and final surgery, one to completely replace his meniscus and the other to replace the cartilage that was intended 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 chances of a full recovery.

Ball’s talent is not the question. He has an almost uncanny feel for the pitch, for the movement of his teammates and the perfect placement of a pass. But Ball’s body has not cooperated for too many years, preventing him from maintaining his full potential for a reasonable portion of the season.

“In his rookie year, you could definitely say his trajectory was on a path where he could have been an elite point guard in this league,” Donovan said. “And then to take that away and see where he is now – for me personally, I’m just happy that he can get back to doing what he loves.”

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

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

“They could have just pushed me out of the way and kept moving,” Ball said. “Instead, they’ve been with me all the way and given me the best treatment, the best help I could get. All the hard work didn’t just come from me. It comes from a collective unity and it all paid off to have me back on the field today.”