Lonzo Ball met the family of Alex Reinhardt, the young man whose donated meniscus saved his basketball career after a severe knee injury. The emotional moment took place at the United Center before the Bulls faced the Heat.
Before the Chicago Bulls tipped off against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, an unforgettable moment took place at the United Center.
Lonzo Ball, who has spent the past two years battling a serious knee injury that nearly ended his career, met the family of the young man who helped save his basketball life.
Ball, who needed a full meniscus transplant to have any shot at returning to the NBA, received that gift from Alex Reinhardt, a 20-year-old from South Dakota who tragically took his own life in 2023.
Following Alex’s death, his family made the powerful decision to donate his organs, and one of those donations became Ball’s new meniscus.
"They helped save my basketball life," Ball said, per K.C. Johnson.
Angie Reinhardt, Alex’s mother, shared what it meant to see the impact her son is still having.
"It’s been extremely emotional," she told NBA.com. "So much happiness comes with it, too. All of the people that are donor recipients of Alex’s, we’re just blessed. 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."
Although Ball didn’t suit up against Miami due to a wrist injury, he’s already made a successful return this season after being sidelined for more than two years.
Ball spent meaningful time talking with the Reinhardt family, including Alex’s parents and siblings, and made it clear how much their son’s donation meant to him and his future.
"To be able to keep helping people after his death really feels like a blessing to all of us," Angie Reinhardt said.
This season, Bulls point guard averages 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 36.6% from the field.
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