Once upon a time, Lonzo Ball was the most popular among the three Ball brothers. Nowadays, LaMelo has blossomed into an NBA All-Star and LiAngelo somehow became 2025’s hottest hip-hop artist. Meanwhile, Lonzo, the eldest of the Ball brothers, faded into the background after an almost three-year absence from the NBA due to a torn meniscus and some complications that came with it.
Now 27 years old, Lonzo finally made his return to NBA action this season with the Chicago Bulls. However, his campaign was sidetracked three games in when a wrist injury forced him to miss a month of action. He returned in late November and has been healthy since, slowly making progress on his return to pre-injury form.
Ball has averaged 19 minutes per game in 21 appearances so far this season, averaging 6.5 points, 1.7 three-pointers, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. While his numbers do not immediately jump off the page, his steals average is actually quite impressive when considering the number of minutes that he plays on a nightly basis. The defensive instincts of Ball clearly have not deteriorated and one of these steals even led to his first in-game dunk in almost three years.

The court vision of Ball has not left him either, evidenced by his seven games with at least five assists. He is yet to have a game without an assist this season and continues to possess the ability to push the ball at a frenetic pace.
The second overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft had his best game of the season so far in the Bulls’ most recent win, a 138-105 blowout of the Washington Wizards. Ball played 22 minutes off the bench and hit four-of-seven field goals, all of which were three-pointers, to finish with 12 points, a rebounds, six assists, three steals, a block, and only one turnover. He ended the night with a +/- of +14, the best among Chicago’s reserves.
It remains to be seen if Ball can eventually handle a full-time starting job once again, but at the very least, he should be able to contribute to a winning team down the line as a high quality back-up guard. Shaun Livingston, another player who suffered a severe knee injury that sidelined him for an extended period, could provide Ball with a blueprint for success. Between 2014 and 2019, Livingston played a key role on the Golden State Warriors as their top reserve guard and helped them win three NBA championships. Both players are tall guards, with Ball standing at 6’6 while Livingston is 6’7, who possess elite passing skills and an improving jumpshot.
Nonetheless, the mere return of Ball from this ordeal is already inspiring in itself. Any more success that he can achieve on the basketball court is gravy. For a player as competitive as Ball though, this is unlikely to be enough for him and the best could still be on the horizon for the Bulls’ guard.
