Lonzo Ball isn’t just a point guard for the Chicago Bulls. He’s also a key part of the famous Ball family’s basketball dynasty. Lonzo’s parents, LaVar and Tina Ball, both played college basketball at Cal State Los Angeles in the late ’80s and early ’90s. They married in 1997, and LaVar had a dream: to raise sons who would become basketball superstars. He’s been vocal about this dream ever since Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo stepped into the spotlight in 2015.
Family background and ambitions
LaVar has always been vocal about his goals for his sons. In an interview with ESPN The Magazine in 2017, he said, “Speak it into existence. Keep talking about it until it happens.” Born in October 1997, Lonzo was the first to fulfill this prophecy. He pledged to play basketball at UCLA in his sophomore year of high school and was drafted into the NBA after one college season.
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LiAngelo, a year younger than Lonzo, also committed to UCLA but never played a game for the team. In February 2024, he joined Mexico’s professional league, playing for the Astros de Jalisco. The youngest brother, LaMelo, was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2020. Despite his success, LaVar continues to strive for more. In January 2021, he expressed a desire to see all of his sons on the same NBA team.
Parents and early life
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LaVar and Tina Ball met at Cal State Los Angeles, where they were both athletes. LaVar often jokes that he chose Tina for her genes, and attributes his children’s success to their combined athletic backgrounds. They married in 1997 and had three sons, all of whom began playing basketball at a young age.
LaVar’s football career was brief before he focused on his family. He played for the NFL’s New York Jets and Carolina Panthers practice squads and spent one season with the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football. After his football career, he returned to California to work as a personal trainer.
Basketball commitments
All three Ball brothers initially committed to UCLA. Lonzo played one season before joining the NBA. LiAngelo committed in 2015 but left the school after a shoplifting incident in China. LaMelo, who committed at just 13, never played for UCLA due to eligibility issues after releasing a shoe with the family brand, BBB. Both younger brothers later played professionally in Lithuania.
Great performance by LaMelo
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LaMelo gained national attention in 2017 when he scored 92 points in a high school game. At age 15, he led Chino Hills High School to a 146-123 win over Los Osos High School. LaVar was not surprised by his son’s performance, saying, “The bigger the stage, the better he likes to play.”
NBA success
Lonzo and LaMelo made history as the first brothers to be selected in the top 3. Lonzo was selected as the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, and LaMelo was selected as the third overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 2020. LaMelo was named Rookie of the Year in 2021 and became an All-Star the following year. He returned to the court in January 2024 after recovering from a fractured ankle.
Tina’s health battle
Tina suffered a severe stroke in February 2017. She was in the hospital for over two months. LaVar took care of her and encouraged his sons to focus on basketball. Tina made her first public appearance after the stroke in July 2017, when she attended one of LaMelo’s games.
Reality TV and Parenthood
The Ball family starred in a reality show, “Ball in the Family”, which aired on Facebook Watch from 2017 to 2020. The show featured their lives, including Tina’s recovery and the brothers’ basketball careers. Lonzo and LiAngelo are now fathers. Lonzo has a daughter named Zoey Christina with his long-time girlfriend Denise Garcia. LiAngelo welcomed his first child, a son named LaVello, with Nikki Mudarris in July 2023.
Source: https://hmiendongsaigon.edu.vn
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