LaMelo has better night as Ball brothers clash
NEW ORLEANS — LaMelo Ball grew up playing 3-on-3 games against his older brother Lonzo on a concrete court in the backyard of their parents’ home in Chino Hills, Calif.
“Nobody took it easy on me — fighting, scrapping, falling on concrete,” LaMelo said. “Parents would get scared when their kids went back there. It was something you had to witness for real.”
That is where the Ball brothers learned to compete — and first dreamed of playing in the NBA.
On Friday night, they made history by becoming the first siblings selected in the top three of the NBA Draft to compete against each other when rookie LaMelo’s Charlotte Hornets rallied for a 118-110 victory over Lonzo’s New Orleans Pelicans.
LaMelo Ball, picked third overall in 2020, had the better night, nearly notching a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists.
“He was free and easy out there, kind of what we expect now,” Hornets Coach James Borrego said. “He’s not fazed by the moment.”
Although the Ball brothers were matched up only intermittently, LaMelo Ball hit a three-pointer with his brother guarding him and also blocked his brother’s driving layup.
Lonzo Ball, a second overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, missed 6 of 7 three-point shots and finished with 5 points.
“It was cool to be out there with him,” LaMelo Ball said. “Whenever we win, I feel it works out great.”
There have been plenty of brothers that have played against each other through the years. Currently there are nine sets of siblings in the NBA, including Steph and Seth Curry; Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo; Jrue, Aaron and Justin Holiday; Tre and Tyus Jones; Brook and Robin Lopez; Marcus and Markieff Morris; Juancho and Willy Hernangomez; Caleb and Cody Martin; and Jalen and Jaden McDaniels.
But the battle of the Ball brothers is one of the most high-profile sibling matchups ever.
They have a big social media following, in part because of their outspoken father LaVar. They garnered national attention on the basketball court when Lonzo, then a senior, paired with middle brother LiAngelo and then-freshman LaMelo to help Chino Hills High School go 35-0 and win the California Interscholastic Federation Division I state title in 2016.
While they took different paths — Lonzo went to play at UCLA while LaMelo went overseas to play professionally — Lonzo was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2017; LaMelo was third overall in 2020.
“At the end of the day we both ended up where we wanted to be,” Lonzo said. “So the hard work definitely pays off. If you put your mind to it I really think you can do anything.”
The brothers have never played each other in an actual game, and Lonzo said he almost never played LaMelo 1-on-1 while growing up because he was nearly 4 full years older than his kid brother and physically superior at the time.
Those games were mainly reserved for LiAngelo, who is one year younger than Lonzo and who had a brief stint with the Detroit Pistons before being cut prior to this season.
“We pretty much played 3-on-3 every day,” Lonzo said. “We always went at it. And I think you see that in [LaMelo’s] game. He’s not afraid of anyone and he has always played up [in age] and it has always been that way for him.”
Both players wear number “2” jerseys, and the 6-6 Lonzo, who is averaging 13.4 points and 4.6 assists, is no longer physically superior to 6-8 LaMelo. The rookie is averaging 11.8 points and 4.9 assists.
LaMelo said he’s leaned on his brother for advice since coming into the league, and they stay in close contact.
“Pops had us real close” growing up, LaMelo said.