Bulls’ Ball, playing 1st game since ’22, ‘full of joy’

Jamal Collier, ESPNOct 17, 2024, 04:40 AMCHICAGO — Bulls guard Lonzo Ball said he is “full of joy” to be preparing for his first NBA game in more than two years, but he also acknowledged that he won’t be the same player he was when he last took the court in January 2022.”It’s not the same body I started off with,” Ball said after Wednesday’s shootaround. “But I think I can still be productive and effective on the court. That’s why I’m still trying to play.”Ball will be restricted to no more than 16 minutes in Wednesday night’s preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.Editor’s Picks2 RelatedHe last played in a game for Chicago on Jan. 14, 2022. Since then, he’s undergone three arthroscopic procedures on his left knee, including a rare double cartilage transplant in March 2023.”Long. Really long,” Ball said with a laugh when looking back at his recovery process. “But looking back on it, it went a lot faster than I thought. … Them telling me 18 more months recovery [after…