Home » Lonzo Ball excites fans with his NBA return after 2 years.

Lonzo Ball excites fans with his NBA return after 2 years.

NBA fans were thrilled to see Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball return to the court for the first time since January 2022.

Visit Sportsmania for more NBA news and other basketball updates.

Check out M88 Mansion’s best offers here.

Ball made his NBA return

After three knee surgeries and more than two years from the sidelines, Ball, 27, checked into the game when the Bulls hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves in a preseason game.

The former second overall pick got a huge ovation from the United Center crowd.

Lonzo Ball gets a nice ovation from the Bulls fans as he checks into an NBA game for the first time in over 2 years 👏

Welcome back, Zo!pic.twitter.com/yVJxsI4rXl

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 17, 2024

Ball immediately buried a corner three on the first play.

LONZO BALL RETURNS TO THE COURT AFTER 2 YEARS AND HITS A THREE ‼️

(via @NBA)

pic.twitter.com/Wlh0vYl2cp

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 17, 2024

The floor general finished with 10 points, one assist and one rebound. He shot 4-of-6 from the field, and played just 15 minutes 

NBA fans were all excited

The NBA community had fans celebrating Ball on social media.

HES BACK

— Yerxzi (@Yerxzi) October 17, 2024

Welcome back, @ZO2_ 🫡 https://t.co/jVGFmTqE0z pic.twitter.com/MkBiJzg24E

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 17, 2024

Just really happy for Lonzo Ball tonight. Anybody that watched that dude in high school and saw the innate feel for the game knew that he was born to hoop. Glad that his body is giving him the chance to do it again.pic.twitter.com/e1IjhfzoJH

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 17, 2024

This is such an incredibly cool moment.

3 knee surgeries. 2 seasons of basketball missed. A literal cartilage transplant in his knee. No NBA player has successfully come back from it.

Lonzo Ball is back. pic.twitter.com/FJJxG1iOeb

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) October 17, 2024

Lonzo knocking down his 1st shot — a 3 from the corner — felt good to watch. Can only imagine how good it felt for him! #Bulls

— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) October 17, 2024

Even Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton was happy to see Lonzo on an NBA court.

Seeing Lonzo back is so🔥🔥

— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) October 17, 2024

Long recovery

Ball last played on January 14, 2022 before he went down with a meniscus injury in his left knee.

Since then, he’s undergone three arthroscopic procedures on his left knee, including a rare double cartilage transplant in March 2023.

In total, Ball has played in just 35 games over the last three years.

“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.”

Although it was a long healing process, Ball said he’s glad to have recovered faster than initially expected.

“Long. Really long,” he said. “But looking back on it, it went a lot faster than I thought. … Them telling me 18 more months recovery [after the third surgery], it sounds crazy in the moment, but now I’m here. It’s all behind me now.”