In 2016 no group of players captivated the basketball universe the way the Ball Brothers did. Everything from their unique names to their unique style of play just seemed perfectly crafted for greatness. Leading an unknown Chino Hills HS to a perfect 35-0 undefeated season in 2016, brothers Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo gradually became the talk of hoops.
And it wasn’t just about three brothers being the top three players for a team that finished untouched and with the No. 1 ranking spot in America, it was just as much about how they did it. The Huskies averaged 98 points per game, reached 100 or more points in over half of their bouts and their margin of victory for the season surpassed 30 points. There were no plays drawn up on offense, expect for a screen and roll and a clear-out for Lonzo, as their dad LaVar informed us this summer, everything was pretty much straight on-the-fly pick-up style.
With that freedom on offense came pull-up halfcourt shots from ‘Melo and some sick football-esque full-court outlet passes from everyone. The kids were clearly having fun with it. And those that argued bad shots and no structure had little merit as the wins and dominance continued to pile up.
This season, Lonzo moved on to UCLA, where he’s emerged as a candidate for the No. 1 spot in the 2017 NBA Draft. LiAngelo and LaMelo, who are both slated to arrive at UCLA in 2017 and 2019 respectively, have picked up from where they left off last season, currently riding a perfect 14-0 season which has extended their winning streak to 49 games. LiAngelo is posting 72-point and 65-point outings and LaMelo is still pulling up from halfcourt.
They’ve done it their own way, staying away from playing in the ever-political sneaker-circuit and sticking by their local school. They’ve now formed their own clothing brand—Big Baller Brand—as you can see them all rocking in the video above. Pioneers on and off the floor in their own right, we went out to Chino Hills on Christmas Day to see if the Ball family has as much fun during the holidays as they do on the court. And we sure got our answer. Check the vid out at the top of this post.
