After missing nearly three full seasons due to chronic knee injuries, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has defied medical odds to return as a key contributor in the 2024-25 NBA season. The 27-year-old point guard recently activated a $21.4 million player option for this season and signed a new 2-year extension worth $20 million through 2027, proving management’s faith in his rehabilitated health.
Ball’s comeback story reached new heights during Wednesday night’s overtime thriller against the Knicks, where he logged 30 minutes and scored 14 points with 4 assists. This follows an impressive February stretch where he’s averaged 10.6 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 37% from three-point range – maintaining the improved shooting form that saw him convert 37.5% of long-range attempts during his Pelicans tenure.
“It’s been a grueling process,” Ball told reporters after Thursday’s practice. “When you miss two full seasons, people write you off. This new contract shows Chicago believes I can still be the playmaker they traded for in 2021.”
The former No. 2 overall pick has undergone three separate knee surgeries since joining the Bulls, including an unprecedented cartilage transplant procedure in March 2023. Medical experts initially gave him less than a 20% chance of returning to NBA-level competition.
Chicago’s gamble appears to be paying dividends – the team has gone 8-3 since Ball’s January return to regular rotation minutes. His signature court vision remains intact, with the UCLA product still averaging 6.1 assists per 36 minutes despite reduced playing time.
