Lonzo Ball returned to action this Wednesday with the Chicago Bulls after a long ordeal of injuries that kept him off the court for nearly two years.

The point guard, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, played 15 minutes on Wednesday in the preseason friendly where the Bulls edged the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-123.

Ball scored 10 points (4 of 6 shooting, 2 of 4 from three-point range) along with one rebound, one assist, one block, and one steal. This was his first game with the Bulls since January 14, 2022.

Coby White (23 points) led the scoring for Chicago, while Julius Randle, who recently joined the Timberwolves from the New York Knicks and was also returning from an injury that sidelined him since late January, debuted for Minnesota with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Ball made his long-awaited return, scoring 10 points in 15 minutes during the Bulls’ 125-123 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. The point guard also added an assist, a steal, and a block in his first appearance since January 14, 2022.

"It felt a lot better playing than watching, that’s for sure," Ball said. "I can’t even begin to describe how I felt out there."

Ball, who turns 27 on October 27, underwent a cartilage and meniscus transplant in his left knee last year after several procedures failed to resolve his injury. Ball mentioned that he "felt great moving" and that his knee gave him no issues "at all."

Ball received a thunderous ovation when he checked in for Josh Giddey following a timeout midway through the first quarter. It didn’t take him long to make an impact. He drained an open three-pointer from the left corner off a driving assist from Nikola Vucevic with 5:25 left in the quarter, drawing another loud cheer from the crowd.

"Just blessed, man," Ball said. "A lot of people helped me get here, it wasn’t just me. Seeing the crowd and all the love I get from the city, man, you can’t replicate that in any way. And it’s real."

Several players expressed their support and respect for Ball during the team’s postgame meeting. Coby White presented him with the game ball, and Zach LaVine handed him a jersey that appeared to be signed by the team.

The Bulls have one more exhibition game against Cleveland on Friday before opening the season in New Orleans on October 23. Ball said he will "definitely" play against the Cavaliers. He will start the season on a minutes restriction and won’t play on consecutive days.