Lonzo Ball Gets Family of Man Who Donated Knee Cartilage Courtside Seats

The family of a man who contributed the knee cartilage he received during his knee transplant operation two years ago was entertained by Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball.

Ball missed Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat because of a sprained right wrist, but he still gave the family who supported him unimaginably a heartwarming moment. Ball has been out since early March. The cartilage Ball received after undergoing a meniscus and cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023 was donated by Alex Reinhardt, who passed away in February 2023 at the age of 20.

Ball spent time with Reinhardt’s family at the United Center prior to Chicago’s victory against Miami on Wednesday, signing jerseys and taking pictures during their first encounter.

At tonight’s Bulls game, Lonzo Ball is hosting the family of the donor for his knee transplant surgery.

Alex Reinhardt died at age 20 in Feb. 2023. Ball sought out his family this year after making an unprecedented comeback to the NBA.

Ball: “It changed my life.” pic.twitter.com/2tMr0RO7ih

— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) April 9, 2025

Angie, Reinhardt’s mother, stated through the AP and ESPN: “It’s been extremely emotional,” “So much happiness comes with it, too. All of the people that are donor recipients of Alex’s, we’re just blessed. We’ve had mothers from some people that have said things. Now we get to meet Lonzo. It’s just a blessing to be able to watch people do well with their knees or anything because of Alex. Of course, we wish he was here.”

According to Angie, the person who received some of Alex’s tissue expressed a desire to speak with the family of the man who assisted him; they subsequently discovered that this individual was Ball. In a very moving event, the meeting finally took place on Wednesday.

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