About LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball is an accomplished American professional basketball player who currently serves as the point guard for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. He was drafted by the Hornets as the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. In recognition of his outstanding performance, Ball was honored as the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and later earned a spot on the NBA All-Star team in the 2022 season. His basketball journey began at Chino Hills High School in California, where he achieved national recognition and won a state championship alongside his older brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo. After a coaching dispute, he joined the Lithuanian professional team Prienai before playing in his father's Junior Basketball Association (JBA) in 2018. He then returned to high school at SPIRE Academy in Ohio. He later decided to forgo college basketball, instead opting to play for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) in 2019. Ball's impressive performance in Australia defied initial expectations, leading to his selection by the Hornets in the 2020 draft. Alongside his brothers, he has garnered widespread attention, with his father LaVar also becoming a prominent media personality. Ball's family's reality show, Ball in the Family, and his signature shoe from Big Baller Brand further showcase his influence and success. Notably, his older brother Lonzo Ball currently plays as a guard for the Chicago Bulls.
LaMelo Ball Early Life & Family
LaMelo Ball, an American basketball player, was born on August 22, 2001, in Chino Hills, California, USA. LaMelo LaFrance Ball is his birth name. He is an American citizen and belongs to American-White ethnicity. As of 2022, he celebrated his 21st birthday. Being born under the zodiac sign of Leo, he exudes the characteristics associated with that sign. LaMelo follows the Christian religion. He is the youngest son of LaVar Ball and Tina Ball, both of whom were college basketball players. LaVar, standing at 6 feet 4 inches (1.98 m), competed for Washington State and Cal State Los Angeles, while Tina, standing at 6 feet (1.8 m), played for the latter school. LaMelo has an elder brother named Lonzo Ball and a second sibling named LiAngelo Ball.
For his education, LaMelo attended Chino Hills High School and then went to SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio for further education.
LaMelo Ball Basketball Career
- LaMelo Ball made his basketball debut during his freshman season at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California, where he played alongside his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo, as well as his cousin Andre Ball.
- In his first game, he started strong by scoring 27 points. He continued to impress, contributing 26 points in a victory against Sierra Canyon School for the CIF Southern Section Open Division title on March 5, 2016.
- He played a pivotal role in leading his team to the CIF Open Division state championship, scoring 14 points in the title game against De La Salle High School.
- Chino Hills concluded the season undefeated with a remarkable 35-0 record and claimed the unofficial national championship.
- His impressive performance earned him the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year award, which he shared with his teammate, Onyeka Okongwu, after averaging 16.4 points and 3.8 assists per game.
- On December 26, 2016, he gained national attention by making a half-court shot just two seconds into a game.
- However, on February 4, 2017, he experienced his first high school loss despite scoring 36 points, as Oak Hill Academy ended Chino Hills' impressive 60-game win streak.
- In his next game, on February 7, Ball stunned with a remarkable 92 points against Los Osos High School, the second-highest single-game point total in California high school history.
- Though criticized for cherry-picking and not defending, he finished the season averaging 26.7 points and almost 10 assists per game, earning recognition as a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American.
- On October 2, 2017, he left Chino Hills due to his father's dissatisfaction with the new coach and school administration, choosing to be homeschooled.
- Subsequently, on December 7, he signed with agent Harrison Gaines to play professionally overseas alongside his brother LiAngelo, signaling his decision not to pursue college basketball.
- After opting to skip his junior year and a portion of his senior year to pursue professional basketball, LaMelo Ball joined SPIRE Institute and Academy, a prep school in Geneva, Ohio, on November 5, 2018.
- Under the guidance of head coach Jermaine Jackson, Ball was able to compete without concerns over his amateur status as SPIRE operated outside the jurisdiction of the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
- However, several prominent high school teams canceled their scheduled games against SPIRE to protect their eligibility under their state federations, fearing Ball's professional experience would pose a threat.
- Additionally, SPIRE's participation in the Hoophall Classic tournament was revoked after event organizers failed to meet a $10,000 request from a Ball family associate.
- Despite these challenges, Ball made a strong debut for SPIRE on November 10, 2018, contributing 20 points, 13 assists, and five rebounds in a 96-84 victory over The Hill School.
- He played a significant role in leading SPIRE to the final and was named the season's MVP.
- However, due to his professional experience, Ball was ruled ineligible for the 2019 McDonald's All-American Game.
- Ball verbally committed to play college basketball for UCLA at age 13, before starting high school, becoming the third of his brothers to commit to the school.
Prienai
- LaMelo Ball, along with his brother LiAngelo, signed with Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) on December 11, 2017, making him the youngest American ever to sign a professional basketball contract.
- Their move to Lithuania garnered significant attention from the American sports media.
- During his time with Prienai, the team withdrew from the Baltic Basketball League and participated in exhibition games sponsored by Big Baller Brand.
- Ball made his professional debut on January 13, 2018, but went scoreless in five minutes.
- He had a season-high 19 points, along with four three-pointers and six assists, in a loss to Žalgiris on February 4.
- However, a leg injury in an exhibition game sidelined him for a month.
- On April 25, Ball left Prienai with his family, citing dissatisfaction with playing time and criticism of the team's head coach.
- He finished the LKL season with averages of 6.5 points, 2.4 assists, and shooting 26.8 percent from the field in 12.8 minutes per game.
Los Angeles Ballers
- LaMelo signed with the Los Angeles Ballers of the Junior Basketball Association (JBA) on May 4, 2018, becoming the league's "marquee player."
- In his debut, he recorded a triple-double with 40 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals, leading his team to a 134-124 victory over the New York Ballers.
- Throughout the regular season, he averaged a triple-double with 39.6 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 11.5 assists per game, earning a spot in the All-Star Game.
- He helped the Los Angeles Ballers secure the JBA championship and was named to the league's select team, JBA USA, for an international tour.
- However, during an exhibition game on October 31, he was ejected for slapping an opposing player in the face during a scuffle.
- On November 5, Ball decided to leave the JBA tour and return to high school in the United States for his senior season.
Illawarra Hawks
- LaMelo Ball signed a two-year contract with the Illawarra Hawks of the NBL on June 17, 2019, as part of the NBL Next Stars program.
- He made his mark in the league, earning the Leader of the New School award at the Drew League.
- In his NBL debut, Ball recorded a double-double and took on a more significant role after a teammate's injury.
- He achieved a triple-double, becoming the youngest player in NBL history to do so, and followed it up with another triple-double in the next game.
- However, Ball suffered a foot injury and decided to sit out for the rest of the season.
- Despite missing games, he was named NBL Rookie of the Year. Ball's performances in the NBL elevated his draft prospects, and he was projected as a potential top pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Charlotte Hornets
- LaMelo Ball, projected as the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the third overall pick.
- Alongside his brother Lonzo, they became the first set of brothers to be drafted in the top 3 of the NBA draft.
- Ball began the season coming off the bench but quickly made an impact.
- He achieved a triple-double at the age of 19, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to do so.
- Ball's performances earned him the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award twice, and he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year at the end of the season.
- After returning from a wrist injury, he continued to showcase his skills and was selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
- During the 2021-2022 NBA season, he had several standout performances for the Charlotte Hornets.
- In the season opener, he matched his career high with seven three-pointers and contributed 31 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in a close victory over the Indiana Pacers.
- He continued to impress throughout the season, including a game against the Milwaukee Bucks where he scored a then career-high 36 points.
- On February 2, 2022, he reached a new career-high with 38 points against the Boston Celtics.
- As a result of his outstanding performances, he was named an injury replacement for the NBA All-Star Game.
- Unfortunately, during the 2022-2023 season, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury on February 27, 2023, after fracturing his ankle in a game against the Detroit Pistons.
- He underwent surgery and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
LaMelo Ball Awards and Achievements
- NBA All-Star (2022)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (2021)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2021)
- NBL Rookie of the Year (2020)
- JBA champion (2018)
- JBA All-Star (2018)
LaMelo Ball Dating & Girlfriend
LaMelo Ball is currently in a relationship with his beautiful girlfriend, Ana Montana, who is a successful social media influencer and model. Ana began her modeling career in 2010 and has worked with prominent agencies like Louis Model Management. She has been featured in magazines such as Vibe and Smooth, as well as notable music videos. LaMelo and Ana have been together since February 2022, despite the significant age difference of 12 years between them. Although they have not shared details of their relationship on social media, reports suggest that they are happily enjoying their lives together. It is worth noting that LaMelo identifies as straight and he is not gay.
In August 2017, LaMelo made his relationship with Ashley Alvano public on the show "Ball in the Family," which led to an increase in Ashley's Instagram followers. However, there were no shared posts between them on Instagram in 2018, suggesting that they may have broken up at that time.
LaMelo Ball Net Worth
LaMelo Ball, the American professional basketball player, has amassed a net worth of approximately $22 million. He currently earns an annual salary of over $2 million playing for the Charlotte Hornets, which serves as his primary source of wealth. In a remarkable achievement, on August 31, 2017, Ball became the youngest athlete ever to have a signature shoe when Big Baller Brand, a sports apparel company founded by his family in 2016, released the Melo Ball 1 (MB1) shoe. This milestone further contributed to his financial success. In 2021, Ball signed a lucrative deal with Puma, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in the basketball industry. With his career earnings, Ball leads a lavish lifestyle befitting his accomplishments.
LaMelo Ball Height & Weight
LaMelo Ball, a talented basketball player, possesses a striking athletic physique. Standing at an impressive height of 6 ft 7 in or 2.01 m, he has a perfectly balanced weight of 82 KG or 180 lb that complements his body. With his light brown hair and captivating brown eyes, LaMelo possesses a healthy body and a charming face that captivates the attention of many. His distinctive features include his towering height and his stylish afro hair. Further, he has inked a lot of tattoos on his body.
LaMelo's early athletic development was shaped by the training regimen devised by his father. When he was around 4 or 5 years old, his father introduced him to exercises like hanging on bars, dips, and pull-ups, turning it into a friendly competition among his brothers to keep it enjoyable. As LaMelo grew older, his father expanded his workout routine to include free weights and strength training exercises like the bench press and military press when he turned 12. Additionally, LaVar incorporated sprinting up and down a mile-long incline hill into his training. Under his father's careful guidance, LaMelo dedicated himself to training five days a week.
