Watch: Lonzo Ball experiences heartwarming welcome back moments before knocking down 1st NBA basket in nearly 3 years

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball made his highly anticipated return during Wednesday's home preseason matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Making his first in-game appearance since Jan. 14, 2022, Ball received a heartwarming welcome back from Bulls fans at United Center.

Ball has faced a challenging road back since undergoing left knee meniscus surgery in 2022. After failing to recover from his initial operation, the 2017 No. 2 draft pick underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure to clear up debris.

However, Ball faced continued setbacks, forcing him to take drastic measures. Last year, he underwent an experimental cartilage transplant, receiving a new meniscus in his damaged knee. The unorthodox surgery seemingly paid off, with Ball ramping up during this year's training camp, including participating in five-on-five scrimmages.

Chicago coach Billy Donovan noted early in the preseason that Ball was likely to return at some point during his team's five-game tune-up schedule. That proved true during Wednesday's clash, as he checked in midway through the first quarter of the Bulls' fourth exhibition outing.

Upon entering the game, Lonzo Ball received a powerful standing ovation from Chicago fans and expressed gratitude to the crowd. Afterward, he quickly got to work, knocking down a 3-pointer for his first basket in nearly three years.

The shot marked one of two first-half triples for the veteran, as he converted his only two shot attempts before halftime.

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Lonzo Ball under strict minutes restriction

As anticipated, Lonzo Ball's playing time will reportedly be monitored to begin his return to action.

According to the Chicago Tribune's Julia Poe, Ball is under a 16-minute restriction. The two-way guard added that he expects that to last all season, highlighting his need to improve his conditioning after contracting COVID-19 before training camp.

"We'll have to manage it all year. That's just the reality of it," Ball said. "COVID definitely set me back. It's more about just getting my weight up. I lost like 10 pounds, so back to normal now. I feel a lot better."

Nevertheless, Ball should provide valuable playmaking, outside shooting and backcourt defense for a Chicago squad coming off a ninth-place Eastern Conference finish (39-43).

Over 35 outings in the 2021-22 NBA season, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 3.1 3-pointers per game, shooting 42.3%.

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