The Ball Brothers are one of the most popular sets of brothers in the world of sports. Lonzo, LaMelo, and LiAngelo have been in the spotlight of the media since their high school days. In the halls of Chino Hills High School, a basketball dynasty was born led by the three Ball brothers. In the 2015/16 season, the trio of Ball Brothers left fans mesmerized with their exceptional talent and coordination, as they led Chino Hills to become the top-ranked team in the nation.
Who are the Ball Brothers?
The oldest of three, Lonzo Ball was the orchestrator of Chino Hill's offense, and his court vision and basketball IQ were spectacular. This made him one of the most promising young talents in the country. LiAngelo was the sharpshooter of the trio and the youngest of the trio, LaMelo Ball, emerged as a showman on the court, dazzling spectators with flashy plays. All three Ball brothers displayed an uncanny ability to sink shots from beyond the arc. While LiAngelo had the sweetest shot release, the other two brothers, Lonzo and Lamelo had unorthodox but deadly shooting strokes.
During the 2015-2016 season at Chino Hills, Ball Brothers' on-court synergy was outstanding and the addition of the formidable 5-star prospect Onyeka Okongwu seamlessly amplified it. Together, they formed a collective basketball force that not only dominated opponents but also captivated fans with their electrifying plays.
During all this fanfare in their high school days, the Ball brothers remained focused on their ultimate goal – making a mark in the NBA. In the 2017 NBA draft, Lonzo Ball was the first of the Ball brothers to realize this dream, becoming the second overall pick. Later in 2020, LaMelo Ball continued the Ball family legacy, being selected as the third overall pick in the NBA Draft. However, not every Ball brother had a fairy-tale ending. LiAngelo Ball faced hurdles on his path to the NBA as he went undrafted in 2018.
Lonzo Ball
Born on October 27, 1997, Lonzo Anderson Ball is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Chicago Bulls as a point guard. He is quite big for his position, standing at 6 feet 6 inches with a 6 feet 9 inches wingspan. His court vision and passing IQ are on par with the best players in the world. His pre-draft comparison was Jason Kidd. He is the oldest of the three brothers.
As a high school player, Lonzo was one of the most highly recruited players. During his senior year, he led Chino Hills to a 35-0 record, winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year. After a successful college season with the UCLA Bruins, Lonzo declared for the 2017 NBA Draft where he was selected second overall. He had an up-and-down tenure with the Lakers and was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans where he would earn the league’s respect by fixing his previously awkward jumpshot. During the 2021 offseason, he was sent to the Chicago Bulls via a sign-and-trade deal.
As a Bulls player, Lonzo became one of the best two-way point guards in the NBA as he emerged as a lockdown guard defender and a 42.3% 3-point shooter in the 2021/22 season. Unfortunately for Lonzo, the promising trajectory of his NBA career was interrupted by a tragic setback. In the early offseason of 2022, Lonzo suffered a severe injury to his left knee, forcing him to miss the entire 2022/23 season as well as the 2023/24 season.
As he faces the challenge of recovery, the NBA community eagerly awaits his return to the court, hopeful that he will once again make a significant impact on the game he loves.
Read more about Lonzo Ball Net Worth.
LiAngelo Ball
Born on November 24, 1998, LiAngelo Robert Ball is an American professional basketball player who plays as a shooting guard. He is the middle child of the Ball family. LiAngelo is the shortest of the three brothers, standing at 6’5 but is built like an NFL linebacker. LiAngelo has the purest jump shot of the three brothers but unlike his other two brothers, he lacks the feel of the game. He started his high school career alongside his brothers and was the leading scorer on the legendary Chino Hills team.
During his senior year, he averaged close to 34 points a game. Just like Lonzo, he elected to play for the UCLA Bruins. He ended up getting arrested in China for shoplifting and was suspended from the basketball program. When he became eligible for the NBA draft, he withdrew from the program to play professionally in Lithuania with Prienai. He subsequently declared for the 2018 NBA Draft but went undrafted. After that, he played in his father’s league, the JBA, where he averaged highly inflated numbers.
He had stints with NBA and NBA G-League teams on training camp deals but never played even a preseason game. Finally, during the 2021 NBA Summer League, he got his break. He played 5 games and averaged close to 10 points. He is expected to play in the NBA G-League this season.
LaMelo Ball
Born on August 22, 2001, LaMelo LaFrance Ball is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Charlotte Hornets as a point guard, just like his older brother Lonzo. Lamelo Ball, the youngest brother is also the tallest amongst Ball brothers, standing at 6 feet 7 inches. He is a very skillful, flashy playmaker and scorer with a basketball IQ to rival the best in the league. Many called him a taller version of "White Chocolate" Jason Williams. In fact, LaVar himself claimed that LaMelo was the most skillful of the three brothers.
LaMelo’s journey to the NBA wasn’t a conventional one though. He was a part of the best high school team in the country at Chino Hills. However, he decided to skip his junior year in high school and went on to play in Lithuania and his father’s professional league. After realizing his NBA draft stock was plummeting, he enrolled in a prep school in Ohio, Spire Academy.
Due to prior professional experience, Melo was ineligible to play in the NCAA. Instead, he played one season for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL (Australian National Basketball League), winning Rookie of the Year honors. In the 2020 NBA Draft, Lamelo was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the third overall pick and he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2020/21 NBA season. In just his second season, Lamelo was named an NBA All-star in 2022. So, Lamelo Ball looks like the Ball family's superstar in the making.
Who is the oldest Ball brother?
Lonzo is the oldest, followed by LiAngelo and LaMelo in that order. Lonzo is 26 years old, as of December 2023, meanwhile, LiAngelo is 25 years old and LaMelo turned 22 in the year 2023.
Ball Family
The Ball Brothers’ Social Media Following
LiAngelo, LaMelo, and Lonzo have a huge fan base due to both their basketball skill and their off-court personas. The three of them have a combined following of around 20 million on Instagram. They have also appeared in a reality show about their family, ‘Ball in the Family’.
FAQs
There are 2 Ball brothers in the NBA - Lonzo Ball and Lamelo Ball
Currently, Liangelo Ball is not part of any NBA team. Only the Charlotte Hornets gave LiAngelo Ball a non-guaranteed one-year deal in 2022.
Lonzo Ball is the highest-paid Ball brother, as of December 2023. However, Lamelo will earn more salary than Lonzo.
No. Lonzo Ball only wore BBB once in an official NBA season game
Lamelo Ball has two older brothers. Oldest brother, Lonzo and middle brother, LiAngelo.
