Just a week after it was reported things were looking bad for Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball‘s injury, head coach Billy Donovan has a promising update. According to Donovan, Ball is beginning running drills and his “workouts have been positive“. Donovan also clarified there is no set return for Ball at this moment.
BREAKING: Lonzo Ball has started sprinting and cutting on the court, per @TomerAzarly. pic.twitter.com/BRTB4Wdpv1
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 9, 2024
Ball has not appeared in an NBA game since January 14, 2022.
Chicago Bulls Provide Promising Lonzo Ball Injury Update
Lonzo Ball is Essential to Chicago’s Success
At the time of Ball’s last game, the Bulls had a 27-13 record and were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Afterward, the Bulls went 19-23 and ended the season as the No. 6 seed. Ball’s importance to the team became clear very quickly. Next to Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic, Ball was the perfect fit at point guard. His playmaking and defense complemented his teammates. Furthermore, Ball was shooting a career-high 42.3% from the three-point line in the 2011-22 season. Last year, Ball appeared on Trae Young‘s podcast, From the Point, and talked about the team:
It’s gonna be a big “what if”. I mean, for me, I feel bad, especially for the GM. I feel like they made the perfect team around me, and I felt like I was involved. It was the most I’ve ever been involved in an organization. I finally got the perfect team that I felt fit my game and played my way.
In his absence, the Bulls have not replicated the same success they had when Ball was running the point. Getting him back should be a big boost for the team.
Will Ball Ever Return to the Court?
Ball has a devastating knee injury and has not played basketball in over two years. At this point, it is unclear if he will even return for next season. In fact, a few months ago, reports suggested the Bulls franchise was “still unsure” Ball would ever make his return to the team. However, the UCLA alum has remained optimistic and is putting in the work to come back to the NBA:
“Life is not easy,” Ball said. “If you want to get the most out of it, you gotta put your best foot forward. If you’re going to get knocked down, you gotta get back up every time if you want to keep going. You can always quit and take the easy way out and pout and go to the side. But for me, if you’re trying to get to a place where I want to get to, you just gotta get back up, dust off and keep going.”
It looks like Ball’s potential return is not just a pipedream. While a return won’t happen soon, there is reason for optimism.
The Last Word
Ball is far from the only player in the NBA world who has had injuries derail their career. Hopefully, he can come back stronger and better than ever and get back on the path of becoming an elite NBA player.
