Lonzo Ball’s return to the Bulls is a remarkable journey after missing two seasons
Chicago: Lonzo Ball had another brief but impactful outing on Tuesday. He scored six points, hitting two three-pointers, and contributed an assist while playing solid defense. This helped the Bulls maintain their lead against the Pelicans.
It’s easy to take his performance for granted, especially considering he missed two and a half seasons and underwent a knee procedure that no athlete had successfully returned from before.
Now, he’s becoming a regular off the bench, with his minutes slowly increasing to the mid-20s. However, he still has restrictions on back-to-back games. Coach Billy Donovan confirmed that Ball would sit out the next game against the Hawks.
It’s truly a remarkable comeback story. Donovan shared his initial thoughts on Ball, saying he was unsure what to expect at first. But once training camp started, he saw Ball running and getting back into form, which gave him hope for Ball’s future contributions.
What’s even better is that Ball is actively participating in practices and shootarounds between games. There were concerns he might need to rest completely between games, but that hasn’t been the case. Donovan noted that Ball is involved in five-on-five drills and keeps up with his strength training.
Ayo Dosunmu, who missed ten games due to a calf injury, is also making progress. He participated fully in shootarounds and is expected to return against the Hawks if all goes well.
Dosunmu had been averaging 14.2 points per game with impressive shooting before his injury. Meanwhile, Patrick Williams is aware that his performance significantly impacts the team. He’s working on being more consistent, acknowledging that when he plays well, the Bulls are a better team.
