The Bulls’ Lonzo Ball returns Wednesday against the Timberwolves and will play on a 16-minute restriction

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball said he will be limited to 16 minutes per game as he attempts a comeback after two and a half seasons away from basketball.

Ball, who hasn’t played in an NBA competition in 1,006 days, will make his long-awaited return Wednesday in the Bulls’ home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I’ll have to do it all year round. That’s just the reality,” Ball told local reporters after the team’s shootout Wednesday morning.

“Hopefully my playing time will continue to increase, but at the moment I have a 16-minute limit. So no more than 16. Of course it could also be less, but that is the current number.”

Ball underwent three surgeries on his left knee this year to treat chronic pain that he began suffering during the 2021-22 season, his first with the Bulls. He was only allowed to play in 35 games this season before having to undergo a meniscus and cartilage replacement. The operations were considered final, career-saving interventions.

No player in NBA history has made a comeback of the kind that Ball is about to make. Ball, who turns 27 on October 27, always expressed confidence that he would come back.

“I think just believing in myself,” Ball explained. “Knowing what I was feeling, knowing I was at a good age to come back from it, and just trusting the doctors and the people around me . And ultimately I returned to the pitch.”

When asked to summarize the last two years, Ball grinned and replied, “really long.”

“But looking back, it went by a lot quicker than I thought,” he said. “I got the first operation and then came back and had the second and third operations and they tell me there will be 18 more months of recovery. This sounds crazy right now, but now I’m here and everything is behind me. So, I’m happy.”

Ball doesn’t expect to immediately be the same player he was as a two-way star three seasons ago. He still has the elite court vision and skill that made him a special talent. Now he has to compensate for possibly being a step slower. Defensively, Ball will have to make the biggest adjustments, especially when battling through screens and recovering on plays.

“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 court. That’s why I still try to play. For me, it’s just about going out there and doing what I can to help the team win.”

Ball said he feels comfortable and has full confidence in his knee.

“I’m just going to go out there and play free, man,” he said. “I don’t think about it too much. I’m cleared to play, so I’ll play.”

Ball also expressed his appreciation for the support of family, friends, fans, teammates – current and former – and the Bulls franchise.

“I have nothing but love and respect for them,” Ball said of the Bulls organization. “They could have just pushed me aside and carried on. Instead, they have been by my side the entire time, giving me the best treatment and help I can get. All the hard work didn’t just come from me. It was a collective unity and it was worth having me back on the pitch today.”

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(Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)