For the first time in nearly three years, Lonzo Ball will put on a Chicago Bulls jersey and play in an NBA game tonight.

It’s been 1,006 days since Ball suffered what appeared to be a minor meniscus injury that led to three surgeries, two seasons on the sidelines and looming doubts about his ability to ever return. But if Ball was nervous about returning to the court today, he didn’t admit it after the shooting at the Advocate Center on Wednesday morning.

“I’m just happy to be back,” Ball said before the preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I’ve been playing basketball for 20 years, so the game hasn’t really changed. I’m just happy to be back on the pitch.”

Ball has suffered no setbacks since returning to five-on-five action in August, despite being off the field before training camp due to a COVID-19 infection and losing nearly 10 pounds. After gaining weight back, Ball said he felt strong and ready to compete in a live game.

The Bulls are keeping expectations low for Ball’s return to the court. The guard is under a strict 16-minute limit and could play fewer minutes at the discretion of coach Billy Donovan, the team’s medical staff and Ball himself. Donovan previously said the Bulls wanted to ensure Ball endured a normal rotation period before being cleared to play, meaning he would likely take the field in four-to-six-minute stretches.

Ball is blunt about the realities of his return. He still regularly suffers from knee pain, a nagging constant that he will keep in mind for the rest of his professional career. And he won’t be the same player on the field – not on Wednesday and perhaps never.

“It’s definitely going to 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 pitch. That’s why I still try to play. … I feel comfortable out there. Otherwise, I just have to play basketball.”

Still, this is an important milestone for both Ball and the future of sports medicine. No player has ever returned to the NBA — or any major American professional sports league — after a knee cartilage transplant.

Ball received two transplants in his third and final surgery, one to completely replace his meniscus and the other to replace the cartilage that separates 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.

As those odds grew, the NBA’s collective voice agreed with the same opinion: The league is better with Ball. The guard said he has received an outpouring of support from teammates and opponents both publicly on social media and privately.

Ball also thanked the Bulls organization, which has continued to emphasize the importance of a slow and steady return to maintain the guard’s health for the rest of his career – even if he doesn’t stay in Chicago.

“They could have just pushed me aside and moved on,” Ball said. “Instead, they were by my side the entire time, giving me the best treatment and the best help I could get. All the hard work didn’t just come from me. It’s a collective unity and it was worth having me back on the pitch today.”