Lonzo Ball is returning to the basketball court on Wednesday night in a Chicago Bulls preseason game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing the last two and a half seasons with various injuries.

The Bulls signed Ball ahead of the 2021–22 season, but he suffered a knee injury on Jan. 14, 2022 and hasn't played since. The Bulls could've looked to send Ball away, but they decided to keep him on the squad and even pick up his player option for the 2024–25 season.

Ball expressed his gratitude for the Bulls supporting him throughout these nearly three years as he returns to the court.

"I got nothing but love and respect for them. They could have just pushed me to the side and kept moving, instead they've been with me the whole way and given me the best treatment, best help I can get," Ball said, via Chicago Tribune's Julia Poe. "All the hard work, it wasn't just from me, it's from a collective unit, and it all paid off to have me back on court today."

Ball has undergone three surgeries since his injury in Jan. 2022. Back in March of this year, he finally began practicing in non-contact situations, and he continued to progress from there.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lonzo Ball's Heartfelt Message to Bulls for Sticking With Him Through Injuries.