Most teenagers grew up watching another teenager playing basketball, and that person is LaMelo Ball. I remember watching Lamelo play on the Chino Hills Basketball Team while he demolished other teams with his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo.

They were the most powerful trio their high school basketball team ever had, and everyone had their eyes on Lonzo because he is the oldest. He took the traditional route to the NBA by committing to UCLA and then being drafted by the Lakers as the second pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. However, Lamelo decided to take an alternate route; one that many haven’t seen before.

Back when Lamelo was a freshman in high school, he made his varsity debut with his brothers.  He continued to dominate on the varsity team at such a young age and played better than the older kids, which definitely gave him a head start. He even dropped 92 points in a single game!  The fact that he has been playing with people who are more experienced than him gives him a head start to his NBA career.

Lamelo and LiAngelo were both supposed to follow Lonzo at UCLA, but when LiAngelo was on their basketball team he got caught stealing when they were in China and he got suspended from playing for two weeks. Their dad did not like that call, so he took LiAngelo out of UCLA and sent Gelo and Melo overseas to play in a pro league in Lithuania.

The two were doing extremely well, and they were making an even better name for themselves. Lamelo was the youngest player to ever play in the pros, playing in Lithuania at just age 16. He was surrounded by new people and a new coach, and he developed a whole new way of playing the game. He tried to take it more seriously, but he ended up getting in a fist fight with another player. He was very distracted and wanted his senior year back, so he transferred to Spire Academy to finish his final high school year.

After high school, he joined the JBA, and he was already at an advantage because he had already been playing against people older and more experienced than him. He was doing well in this league, and NBA coaches and players had their eyes on him. He ended up being drafted third overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.  

The rookie has started his NBA career off with a bang by recording his first triple-double, which marks him down as the youngest player in the NBA with a triple double. He is also surrounded by an amazing team, and not to mention he makes the sport of basketball more fun to watch. Lamelo’s play style is very flashy, and he has keen court vision. Most rookies come into the league a little bit nervous, but he came in acting like he has been in the league before.

I think everyone is excited to see what he can bring to the league this year. We watched him grow up and prep for the NBA, now it is time to watch him grow into the league.