Ball optimistic about eventual return: 'I'm going to play again'

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball is confident that he'll see NBA action again soon.

"I'm going to play again," Ball said Saturday at Invest Fest in Atlanta, according to NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson.

"For me, I know what I gotta do to get back. And I'm just on a path doing what I gotta do every day, taking it step-by-step. I don't look too far ahead. I know in my near future that I will be back on the court for sure."

Ball last played on Jan. 14, 2022, before being sidelined due to a knee injury that needed three surgeries. One of them, in February, was designated to help relieve the 25-year-old's discomfort. He's also been ruled out for the 2023-24 season, meaning he'll miss his second straight campaign.

The former UCLA product has never played more than 65 games in a season since being drafted in 2017, spending time with the Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals in his first season in Chicago.

Ball signed a four-year, $80-million contract with the Bulls in 2021, with a $21.3-million player option for the 2024-25 season. In July, the club was granted a $10.2-million disabled player exception for Ball's injury.

Chicago finished with a 40-42 record last season and was eliminated by the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament.