Lonzo Ball facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lonzo Ball

Ball with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020
No. 2 – Chicago Bulls
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1997-10-27) October 27, 1997 (age 27) Anaheim, California, U.S.
High school	Chino Hills (Chino Hills, California)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College	UCLA (2016–2017)
NBA Draft	2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Pro career	2017–present
League	NBA
Career history
2017–2019	Los Angeles Lakers
2019–2021	New Orleans Pelicans
2021–present	Chicago Bulls
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2018) Consensus first-team All-American (2017) Wayman Tisdale Award (2017) NABC Freshman of the Year (2017) NCAA assists leader (2017) First-team All-Pac-12 (2017) Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2017) National high school player of the year (2016) McDonald's All-American (2016) California Mr. Basketball (2016)

Lonzo Anderson Ball (born October 27, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a point guard for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Before joining the NBA, Lonzo played college basketball for one season with the UCLA Bruins. He was recognized as a top college player. In 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers chose him as the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018.

In high school, Lonzo was a national star. In 2016, he led his team, Chino Hills High School, to a perfect 35-0 record. His brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, also played on this team. In college, he led the country in assists and set a new record for UCLA. He also won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the best freshman player.

During his time in the NBA, Lonzo has faced several injuries. These injuries have kept him from playing many games. He played for the Lakers, then the New Orleans Pelicans, and now the Bulls.

Lonzo Ball's Early Life

Lonzo Ball was born in Anaheim, California. His parents, LaVar and Tina Ball, both played college basketball. Lonzo started playing basketball when he was just two years old. He looked up to LeBron James from a young age.

Lonzo grew up with his younger brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo. Their father coached them until they reached high school. Lonzo played basketball at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California.

In his junior year (2014–15), he averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game. In his senior year, he led his school to an amazing 35–0 record and a state championship. His team was ranked the best in the nation.

Lonzo achieved a triple-double on average that year. This means he had at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in many games. He received many national awards, like the Naismith Prep Player of the Year.

By the end of high school, Lonzo was considered one of the top basketball recruits for college. In November 2015, he decided to play for the UCLA Bruins.

Playing Basketball in College

Ball playing in the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game.

As a freshman in 2016–17, Lonzo was on the watch list for the John R. Wooden Award. This award goes to the best college player. His amazing passing skills helped UCLA improve a lot. They went from a 15–17 record to a 31–5 record.

Lonzo led the country in assists and made UCLA the top-scoring offense. In his first college game, he had 19 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. He was also named the MVP of the Wooden Legacy tournament.

On February 4, 2017, Lonzo scored 22 points and had five assists against the Washington Huskies. Many NBA scouts watched this game. Lonzo was playing against Markelle Fultz, another top point guard.

In the last regular season game, Lonzo set a career-high with 14 assists. He broke a 30-year-old record for most assists by a freshman in the Pac-12. UCLA then played in the NCAA tournament.

They won their first two games. Lonzo had 15 points and three assists in the first game. In the second game, he almost had a triple-double with 18 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. UCLA lost in the Sweet 16 to Kentucky. After the game, Lonzo announced he would enter the 2017 NBA draft.

For the season, Lonzo averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds. He was the only player in the country to average at least 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds. His 274 assists were the second-most in a season by a Pac-12 player.

He was named a first-team All-American by several groups. He also won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the best freshman. Lonzo was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.

Lonzo Ball's NBA Journey

Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers

Rookie Season with the Lakers (2017-18)

Ball in 2018

The Los Angeles Lakers picked Lonzo Ball as the second overall player in the 2017 NBA draft. This was his hometown team. Lonzo and Brandon Ingram were seen as the future of the Lakers. The team's president, Magic Johnson, called Lonzo "the new face of the Lakers."

During the 2017 NBA Summer League, Lonzo was named the league MVP. He averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds. He also had two triple-doubles, which was a first for a rookie in Vegas.

In his rookie season (2017–18), Lonzo played in 52 games. He missed 30 games due to shoulder and knee injuries. On October 20, 2017, he scored 29 points, had 11 rebounds, and nine assists against the Phoenix Suns.

On November 11, he recorded 19 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks. This made him the youngest player at the time to get a triple-double. He broke LeBron James's record by five days. Lonzo recorded his second triple-double on November 19.

Lonzo missed games due to a sprained left shoulder and a knee injury. He was chosen to play in the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend, but couldn't because of his injury. He missed the last eight games of the season due to another knee issue.

He finished his rookie season averaging 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Second Season with the Lakers (2018-19)

Ball upset during a game in 2018

On July 17, 2018, Lonzo had surgery on his left knee. Before the season, the Lakers signed MVP LeBron James. This meant Lonzo would share the spotlight. They also signed veteran point guard Rajon Rondo to help Lonzo.

Lonzo became a strong defender for the Lakers. He often pressured opposing point guards to create turnovers. On offense, he had to learn to play without the ball more, as LeBron often handled it.

On December 15, Lonzo and LeBron both achieved a triple-double in the same game. This was a rare feat. It was Lonzo's third career triple-double. On January 19, 2019, Lonzo suffered a serious left ankle sprain. This injury included a torn ligament.

He had been playing well before the injury, averaging 13 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists. Lonzo was chosen for the Rising Stars game again, but he missed it due to his ankle injury. He was out for the rest of the season.

Joining the New Orleans Pelicans

Ball playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020.

On July 6, 2019, the Lakers traded Lonzo to the New Orleans Pelicans. This trade was part of a big deal for All-Star player Anthony Davis. Lonzo played his first game for the Pelicans on October 22.

On December 29, he made a career-high seven three-pointers. He scored 27 points, had 10 rebounds, and eight assists. On January 18, 2020, he recorded his first triple-double of the season. He had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Lonzo continued to improve his three-point shooting. From December 2019 to March 2020, he averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds. He shot 39.2% from three-point range during this time.

For the 2020–21 season, Lonzo was healthy. The new Pelicans coach, Stan Van Gundy, gave him a new role. Lonzo set a new career-high with eight three-pointers on April 5. He also scored 27 points.

On May 1, Lonzo scored a career-high 33 points, with 11 rebounds and eight assists. He matched this 33-point high on May 4. He finished the season with career bests in scoring (14.6 points), three-point percentage (37.8%), and overall shooting (41.4%).

Playing for the Chicago Bulls

On August 8, 2021, Lonzo was traded to the Chicago Bulls. He signed a four-year, $85 million contract with them. On October 20, Lonzo played his first game for the Bulls. He had 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

On October 22, he recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against his former team, the New Orleans Pelicans. On January 20, 2022, the Bulls announced that Lonzo would need surgery on his left knee. He was expected to miss six to eight weeks.

On April 6, he was ruled out for the rest of the season. He felt pain during his recovery. He played only 35 games that season, his fewest ever. At the time of his injury, the Bulls had a great record. Lonzo was having his best shooting season, making 42% of his three-pointers.

Before the 2022–23 season, Lonzo had another knee surgery. On February 21, 2023, the Bulls said he would miss the rest of that season too. He did not play at all. He had another surgery on March 16, 2023.

In June 2023, the Bulls said they didn't expect him to play in the 2023–24 season. In May 2024, Lonzo shared that he also had a meniscus transplant for his knee. In July 2024, he was cleared to play in full-contact scrimmages.

On October 16, Lonzo played in a preseason game. This was his first game since January 14, 2022. On October 23, he made his return to a regular season game. He scored five points and had four assists in 14 minutes.

Lonzo Ball's Career Stats

NBA Regular Season

College Stats

Lonzo Ball's Player Profile

Lonzo Ball used to have a unique jump shot style. He would bring the ball from his left hip to the left side of his forehead. This unusual form led to him shooting only 31% from three-point range with the Lakers.

Before the 2020–21 NBA season, videos showed Lonzo with a new, more traditional shooting form. With this new form, he shot a career-high 37.5% from three-point range in his first season with the Pelicans.

Lonzo started shooting three-pointers from very far away when he was young. In college, he often shot from beyond the NBA three-point line, which is longer than the college line. His favorite shot when time was running out was a step-back three-pointer from deep.

Awards and Honors

NBA

• 2× Rising Stars Challenge (2018, 2019)
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2018)

College

• Associated Press first-team All-American (2017)
• USBWA first-team All-American (2017)
• NABC first-team All-American (2017)
• Sporting News first-team All-American (2017)
• First-team All-Pac-12 (2017)
• Wayman Tisdale Award (2017)
• Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2017)
• Pac-12 All-Freshman team (2017)
• Honorable mention Pac-12 All-Defensive Team

High School

Ball making a pass at the 2016 McDonald's All-American game

• Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2016)
• Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year (2016)
• USA Today Player of the Year (2016)
• Mr. Basketball USA (2016)
• McDonald's All-American (2016)
• California Mr. Basketball (2016)

Endorsements and Business

Ball began his pro career using his family's Big Baller Brand gear. Seen here with Kyle Kuzma.

When Lonzo started his professional career, he used sports gear from his father LaVar's company, Big Baller Brand. He did not sign with big companies like Nike or Adidas. His father wanted any company to agree to license Big Baller Brand products.

In May 2017, Big Baller Brand released Lonzo's first shoe, the ZO2. The price of $495 caused a lot of discussion. Many people wondered about its quality compared to other brands. Lonzo later owned 51% of Big Baller Brand.

In March 2019, Lonzo said he had ended his relationship with Big Baller Brand's manager. He accused the manager of misusing his money. The Lakers also worried that the quality of Big Baller Brand shoes might have caused Lonzo's ankle injuries.

After this, Lonzo removed all mentions of Big Baller Brand from his social media. He also covered up his Big Baller Brand tattoo. He posted a photo with the caption "Moving on to bigger and better #MyOwnMan".

Music Career

Lonzo Ball enjoys rap music. He writes lyrics on his phone in his free time. He has often gone to a studio to record songs. He once said he would be a rapper if he wasn't an NBA player.

In September 2017, Lonzo released his first rap song, "Melo Ball 1". This song was a tribute to his youngest brother, LaMelo. That same month, he released "ZO2", a song about his own shoe brand.

In February 2018, Lonzo released his first album, Born 2 Ball. It was released under the name Zo. The album reached No. 42 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart.

Albums

• 2018: Born 2 Ball
• 2020: BBA (Bounce Back Album)

Singles

• 2017: "Melo Ball 1"
• 2017: "ZO2"
• 2017: "Super Saiyan"

Television Appearances

In 2020, Lonzo Ball was on the TV show The Masked Singer. He performed as "Whatchamacallit". He was eliminated in Week 8.

Personal Life

In February 2017, Lonzo's mother, Tina, had a stroke. She was in the hospital for two months. In August, Lonzo and his family started their own Facebook Watch reality show, Ball in the Family.

Lonzo has a daughter with Denise García.

Images for kids

• 

  Ball playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020.

See also

In Spanish: Lonzo Ball para niños