The Chicago Bulls made huge strides in 2021 to get the franchise back into the playoffs after missing the playoffs since 2017. Their biggest addition was DeMar DeRozan, but that’s the addition of the 24-year-old point guard Lonzo Ball who excited many fans, as Ball’s future as an all-around defensive playmaker was blindingly bright. However, Ball’s injuries have once again surfaced, and he is likely to miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season after revealing he “can’t run or jump”, let alone play basketball.
The Bulls and NBA fans on Twitter bonded over their grief over Lonzo Ball’s worrying condition, with many expressing immense grief at seeing a player as entertaining to watch as Ball being denied the thing that he was. he likes the most.
this lonzo situation really sucks
— J. Kyle Mann (@jkylemann) September 27, 2022
Lonzo news made me sick
— Mick (@mickjenkins) September 27, 2022
Lonzo Ball’s knee problems began in January, after he suffered a bone bruise and torn meniscus in his left knee. The initial prognosis was that Ball would only miss 6-8 weeks, but it’s clear something went wrong during Ball’s recovery process.
Head coach Billy Donovan also seems to be sounding the alarm, after mentioning that the Bulls will operate assuming Ball misses the rest of the season. Many fans are hoping this isn’t the beginning of the end for Ball’s career, as many of the greats who came before him succumbed to chronic knee problems.
After 8 months of saying there has never been an encouraging update on Lonzo Ball’s injury…. somehow they only get worse.https://t.co/ivrnHIx0nF
— Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) September 27, 2022
I’m very worried that Lonzo has something degenerative in his knee. If this injury affects his mobility in activities of daily living, let alone playing basketball, that’s a huge red flag. Pray it’s not some kind of Oden/Roy situation.
— Richard Staple, BSN, RN🇯🇲 (@RichStapless) September 27, 2022
It’s a tough pill for Bulls fans to swallow to see Ball, who signed a four-year, $80 million contract last offseason in a sign and trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, miss a significant portion of his career, especially after seeing him average an impressive 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists per game on 42% shooting from beyond the arc last season.
Lonzo’s knee situation messed up the man he just found his groove as a shooter last year 🤦🏽♂️
— PeeWeeDaPlug (@PeeWeeDaPlug) September 27, 2022
I feel bad for Lonzo Ball. His career path has traversed all windy roads to become an established 3&D guard to suffer from what appears to be a chronic knee injury.
No Bball since January, it’s hard. I wish him a speedy recovery 🙏 https://t.co/FiSIHh7dCo
— The Front Office (@NBASkoolOfThort) September 28, 2022
Some things are more important than basketball, and Lonzo Ball’s injury is one of them. His knee problems even prevented him from functioning as he always did, have trouble walking on stairs for example, and I hope that the operation he is to undergo will enable him to recover completely.
Lonzo Ball says climbing stairs is painful for him. His knee issues affect him in everyday life, not just from a basketball perspective.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) September 27, 2022
The Bulls organization will be wise to allow Lonzo Ball all the time he needs, not only to protect his investment in him as a player, but also to protect him as a person.
Lonzo Ball is one of the most fun and unique players in the NBA and looked genuinely happy playing for the Bulls last year. It must be devastating for him. I just want Lonzo back to health; the Bulls shouldn’t rush it, to hell with the consequences of basketball.
— Kris Amundsen (@klahoops) September 27, 2022