Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball didn't know if he would ever be able to return to an NBA court two seasons ago, with treatments for his knee injury not making matters any better for the 2017 second-overall pick.
Thanks to an experimental surgery, Ball returned to the court last fall after missing two full seasons and has been a key part of a Bulls team once again bound for the Play-In Tournament.
Ball invited the family of his meniscus donor to Wednesday's Heat-Bulls game at the United Center, over a year after receiving the transplant.
The meniscus was posthumously donated by Alex Reinhardt, who died by suicide.
Reinhardt's parents, Angie and Carl, as well as brothers Seth and Cole, met with Ball on the court Wednesday prior to tip-off.
"It's just such an honor and a blessing and we're just thankful that Lonzo's thankful," Cole Reinhardt told NBC Chicago.
Wednesday night provided an emotional moment for Alex's mother, Angie.
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"For us to be able to meet Lonzo and see him play the game that he loves and doing real life stuff, and be able to watch him play with a little bit of Alex in him is such a blessing," Angie Reinhardt said.
The Reinhardt family hopes to continue to raise awareness surrounding both mental health and the need for organ donations.
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Ball will remain in Chicago after this season, having signed a two-year, $20 million contract extension in February.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
Note: A previous version of this article said that a ligament was donated. This has been corrected.
