LiAngelo Ball’s path to the NBA hasn’t been as smooth as his brothers’.
While Lonzo was a standout at UCLA and LaMelo was also a top-3 pick, LiAngelo was often overlooked by scouts and struggled to get a shot in the league.
Perhaps a lot of that had to do with the fact that he didn’t play college basketball. He was arrested in China for shoplifting and then dropped out of UCLA to play in Lithuania.
And, even though that hurt his chances of being drafted, the middle brother of the Ball household has no regrets:
“It made me who I am today. I done dealt with so much. I done heard everything — good and bad. Nothing really bothers me. My skin is thick. When I play today, I just keep that same energy. For sure, people cast judgment. I was young, I don’t look back on that. I just learned from it and kept pushing. I’m not gonna let one decision mess up my whole life,” Gelo told The Athletic.
LiAngelo had a couple of failed stints with the Lakers and Pistons before having the opportunity to showcase his skills with the Hornets.
He turned a lot of heads during the Summer League, knocking down shots from all three levels, working hard, finding the open teammate, and even playing some impressive defense.
He’s just 22 years old and, while he may not have the upside any of his brothers have, he looks like he could be a solid contributor off the bench for the up-and-coming Hornets next season.
LiAngelo made a mistake and his father’s constant talking didn’t do him any favors in the eyes of NBA scouts. But he’s learned from that and he never stopped working, so, hopefully, he’ll get a shot to make an NBA roster once and for all.
