NBA fans elated by Lonzo Ball's imminent return after missing two seasons to injury: "Make a Comeback Player of the Year Award for him"

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is reportedly returning to action soon and fans are thrilled with this news. NBA insider Shams Charania shared this positive report regarding Ball on X (formerly Twitter), saying Ball is going to play in an upcoming preseason game.

That game is the Bulls' matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday (Oct. 16) at United Center.

Many fans were excited about his return after missing two full seasons due to a knee injury.

"The NBA should make a comeback player of the year award for him. Rehabbing for nearly three years is not something a lot of people would do," one person said.

"Love to see this. Hope he can be healthy this season," another person tweeted.

"Enough to make a grown man cry. Lonzo Comeback player of the year," one fan said.

Meanwhile, other fans made some lighthearted jokes regarding Ball's imminent return to action.

"Lonzo vs. his legs is one of the craziest beefs in nba history," one person said.

"Lonzo Ball is back before GTA 6 has a release date," another joked.

"BALLZACH IS BACK," one fan said, referencing the name given to Ball's tandem with Zach Lavine.

The last time fans saw Lonzo Ball play was during the 2021-22 season. His last game was against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 14, 2022. In that game, Ball saw over 23 minutes of action, scored 15 points, grabbed two rebounds and dished three assists.

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Coach Billy Donovan explains why Lonzo Ball missed the Bulls' first two preseason games

Fans got to see Lonzo Ball's progress from his rehabilitation in several workout videos throughout this past summer. However, Ball did not suit up in his team's first two preseason games.

As it turns out, Ball's absence had nothing to do with his knee injury. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said that Ball dealt with COVID-19 just before the team's training camp opened. Because of this, Ball missed several workouts. He also reportedly lost some weight and some of his strength.

Donovan seems to be taking a cautious approach regarding Ball's return to action. Fans will likely see him come off the bench and have a minutes restriction in his first few games, especially this preseason.

Aside from their matchup against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, they have one more preseason game before the regular season. That game will be against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday (Oct. 18).

Once the preseason is over, the Bulls will have a few days of rest before playing their season opener on Oct. 23 against the New Orleans Pelicans.