By admin 
Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball, along with younger brother LaMelo, formed a formidable trio back in high school. All three were expected to take the next step and eventually play in the NBA.
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The Ball brothers attended Chino Hills High School in California and made one of the more impressive runs in state tournament history during the 2015-16 campaign. All three started alongside Eli Scott and future Atlanta Hawks center-forward Onyeka Okongwu as Chino Hills went unbeaten at 35-0 on its way to winning the state championship.
Senior point guard Lonzo had a triple-double average of 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 11.5 assists while also posting 5.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Junior forward LiAngelo led the team in scoring with 27.4 points, and freshman shooting guard LaMelo was good for 16.4 points and 3.8 assists per game.
Lonzo and LaMelo made it to the NBA, while middle brother LiAngelo has struggled to find his way to the big leagues and is still hoping to get his break.
Unexpected turn
Gelo was a three-star recruit out of high school and was supposed to play for the UCLA Bruins like his older brother, Lonzo. However, things took an unexpected turn when he and two other UCLA teammates were arrested in China for allegedly stealing items from a luxury store in Shanghai.
The school suspended him over the incident and eventually decided to forego college. Gelo went overseas to play in Lithuania and in 2018 entered the NBA Draft, but went undrafted. He played in the G-League for a couple of seasons and in the Mexican league.
Gelo’s struggles to land a gig in the NBA had Lonzo feeling for his brother. He believes that the younger Ball has the skills to play in the league and just needs a team that is willing to give him a chance and work with him.
“I think his game is league-worthy, honestly. It’s just situational, yeah, like he just did that (China incident) and set him back and then was just in the wrong places,” Lonzo
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As he continues to wait for his NBA opportunity, Gelo has had a relatively successful music career as a rapper, scoring a viral breakout hit with his single “Tweaker” in 2025. He signed a record deal with Def Jam Recordings and released his debut album, “League of My Own.”
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Lonzo is currently without a team
In a cruel turn of events, Lonzo has found himself sidelined and looking for an opportunity to play in the NBA. He has yet to sign with a new team after he was waived by the Utah Jazz, without playing a single game for the team, back in February.
Lonzo was in the NBA for nine years after being selected second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft. He also played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls, but his run was marred by a myriad of injuries that limited his on-court availability, including two full seasons missed.
The 28-year-old guard, however, is not ruling out a return to the NBA and is working on his conditioning and getting ready for a call-up, as training camp draws closer.
Playing in and staying in the NBA is far more complicated than it may seem, something LiAngelo and now Lonzo have come to realize. But nothing is impossible as long as the drive and willingness to work hard are there.
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This story was originally published September 10, 2026 at 11:37 PM.