LA Lakers superstar LeBron James gave a major shout-out to Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball after he made his long-awaited return to professional basketball following a two-and-a-half-season absence. Ball, who last played in the NBA on Jan. 14, 2022, took the court for the first time in 1,007 days as the Bulls captured a 125-123 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in a preseason game at the United Center on Wednesday.
Ball’s return marked a remarkable comeback after suffering a career-threatening injury that required a meniscus transplant from a donor to repair his left knee. In his first game back, the former Lakers star put on an impressive performance in limited minutes, earning widespread praise from NBA players and fans alike.
LeBron James was among the many who reacted to Ball’s return. The four-time NBA champion shared on Instagram a heartfelt message for his former Lakers teammate, celebrating his incredible recovery and successful comeback.
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“So damn proud of you man!!!” LeBron wrote on his Instagram story.
Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton also reacted to Ball’s return to action after nearly three years. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Haliburton said:
“Seeing Lonzo back is so (fire emojis).”
In his comeback game, Ball delivered a solid performance, finishing with 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. He also contributed one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block and had zero turnovers, posting a plus-minus of plus-6 in just 15 minutes of action.
Lonzo Ball reflects on his comeback game
After playing his first game since Jan. 14, 2022, Lonzo Ball addressed the media and was visibly moved, sharing his excitement and relief at finally being back on the court after spending so long watching from the sidelines.
“Felt a lot better playing than watching. I’ll say that much,” Ball said. “I can’t even really put into words how I felt out there. I was just blessed [and] happy to be out there, man. All the support around me was great all night. Man, it was definitely a moment I’ll never forget.”
The Chicago Bulls have one preseason game left before they tip off their regular season on Oct. 23 against the New Orleans Pelicans. Lonzo Ball is expected to take the court once again in the team’s final preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
