Lonzo Ball made it feel like 2021 at the United Center on Friday night.

When a loose ball bounced toward halfcourt, the Bulls point guard turned on the jets. He sprinted from under the basket to the logo and outran two much closer Charlotte Hornets to collect the ball. When he flew to the rim, Zach LaVine was already there to meet him. Ball immediately threw an underhand lob, which the two-time All-Star emphatically knocked down.

Ball immediately looked at an inflated bench and ran back across the field with high steps in celebration. The moment seemed straight out of Ball’s exciting first 35 games with the Bulls.

Enjoy! Then have fun again!

THE LONZO BALL EFFECT.@CHSN__ | @ZO2_ pic.twitter.com/7tTjnVAddT

– Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 14, 2024

How can you not get emotional while playing basketball?

While this moment is a reminder of the two efforts Ball brings to the stage, it is also a reminder of how hard he has worked to get back to this point. The guard missed more than two years with a knee injury and underwent surgery unlike any NBA player has ever endured. The fact that he’s back out there and moving so well is a wonderful story in an otherwise dull season.