Lonzo Ball facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lonzo Ball

Ball with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020
No. 2 – Cleveland Cavaliers
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
2021–2025	Chicago Bulls
2025–present	Cleveland Cavaliers
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2018) Consensus first-team All-American (2017) NBA Summer League MVP (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 Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Before joining the NBA, Lonzo played college basketball for 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. He led his team, Chino Hills High School, to a perfect 35–0 record. His brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, also played on that team. In college, he led the nation in assists. He also won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the best freshman player.

Lonzo has faced challenges with injuries during his NBA career. He played for the Lakers, then the New Orleans Pelicans, and later the Chicago Bulls. A knee injury kept him from playing for most of the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons. He returned to play in October 2024. In July 2025, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Early Life and High School Success

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 as his favorite player.

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

In his junior year (2014–15), he averaged impressive stats. He scored 25 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and made 9.1 assists per game. He also had 5 blocks and 5 steals.

During his senior year, Lonzo led Chino Hills to an amazing 35–0 record. They won a state title and were ranked the best team in the nation. He averaged a triple-double, meaning he had double-digit numbers in points, rebounds, and assists. He received many national awards for his outstanding play.

By the end of high school, Lonzo was considered one of the top basketball recruits. In November 2015, he decided to play college basketball for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

College Career at UCLA

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

As a freshman at UCLA in the 2016–17 season, Lonzo quickly made an impact. He was named to a watch list for the John R. Wooden Award. This award goes to the top college player in the country.

Lonzo's amazing passing skills helped UCLA improve a lot. The team went from a 15–17 record the year before to a 31–5 record. He led the entire nation in assists. He also helped make UCLA the top-scoring offense in college basketball.

In his first college game, he had 19 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. He was later named the MVP of the Wooden Legacy tournament.

Lonzo set a new UCLA record for most assists in a season. He also broke a 30-year-old Pac-12 record for assists by a freshman. UCLA made it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

After his freshman season, Lonzo decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft. He was expected to be one of the top players chosen. He averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game. He was the only player in the nation with at least 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds.

Lonzo was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American. He also won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the best freshman in the nation. He was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.

Professional Career

Los Angeles Lakers (2017–2019)

Rookie Season (2017–18)

Ball in 2018

The Los Angeles Lakers picked Lonzo Ball as the second overall choice in the 2017 NBA draft. This was his hometown team. He joined a young team that included Brandon Ingram. The Lakers' president, Magic Johnson, called Lonzo "the new face of the Lakers."

During the 2017 NBA Summer League, Lonzo was named the MVP. He averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game. He also had two triple-doubles, which means he reached double digits in three different stats (points, rebounds, assists) in a single game.

In his rookie NBA season (2017–18), Lonzo played in 52 games. He missed 30 games because of shoulder and knee injuries. On November 11, he became the youngest player at the time to get a triple-double. He had 19 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds.

Lonzo was chosen to play in the Rising Stars Challenge during the NBA All-Star Weekend. However, he could not play due to his knee injury. 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.

Sophomore Season (2018–19)

Ball upset during a game in 2018

In July 2018, Lonzo had surgery on his left knee. During the offseason, the Lakers signed NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James. This changed the team's focus. Lonzo also had to adjust to playing more without the ball.

Lonzo improved his defense and became a strong defender for the Lakers. On December 15, 2018, he and LeBron James both achieved triple-doubles in the same game. This was a rare event. Lonzo had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

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. He was again selected for the Rising Stars game but could not play. He missed the rest of the season due to this injury.

New Orleans Pelicans (2019–2021)

Ball playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020.

On July 6, 2019, Lonzo was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. This trade was part of a deal for All-Star Anthony Davis. Lonzo made his debut for the Pelicans on October 22.

On December 29, 2019, he scored a season-high 27 points. He also made seven three-pointers in that game. On January 18, 2020, he recorded his first triple-double with the Pelicans. He had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists.

In the 2020–21 season, Lonzo was healthy and played a new role. He focused on shooting three-pointers and playing defense. On May 1, 2021, he scored a career-high 33 points. He also made eight three-pointers in that game.

He finished the season with career highs in scoring (14.6 points per game) and three-point shooting percentage (37.8%). His assist average changed as his teammate Zion Williamson handled the ball more.

Chicago Bulls (2021–2025)

On August 8, 2021, Lonzo was traded to the Chicago Bulls. He signed a four-year contract with the team. He made his Bulls debut on October 20. On October 22, he recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

In January 2022, Lonzo had surgery on his left knee. He missed the rest of the 2021–22 season. At the time of his injury, the Bulls had the best record in the Eastern Conference. Lonzo was having his best shooting season, making 42% of his three-pointers.

He missed the entire 2022–23 season due to ongoing knee discomfort. In March 2023, he had another surgery on his left knee. The Bulls did not expect him to play in the 2023–24 season either. In May 2024, Lonzo shared that he also had a meniscus transplant.

In July 2024, Lonzo was cleared to play in full-contact scrimmages. He played in a preseason game on October 16, 2024, which was his first game since January 2022. He made his regular season return on October 23, 2024. On January 12, 2025, he made his first start in nearly three years. He scored 15 points.

On February 5, 2025, Lonzo and the Bulls agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2025–present)

On July 6, 2025, Lonzo Ball was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He joined the Cavaliers in exchange for Isaac Okoro.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

College

Player Profile

Lonzo Ball used to have a unique way of shooting the ball. He would move the ball from his left hip to the left side of his forehead. This made his shooting percentage from three-point range lower in his first two NBA seasons.

Before the 2020–21 NBA season, Lonzo changed his shooting form. He started shooting in a more traditional way, with the ball squared up to his forehead. This change helped him improve his three-point shooting. In his first season with the Pelicans, he shot a career-high 37.5% from three-point range.

Even as a young player, Lonzo would shoot three-pointers from very far away. In college, he often shot from beyond the NBA three-point line.

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)
• Ballislife All-American (2016)
• Ballislife All-American Game MVP (2016)
• California Mr. Basketball (2016)
• Los Angeles Times Player of the Year (2016)

Endorsements and Business Ventures

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 family's company, Big Baller Brand. His father wanted him to sign with a company that would also license Big Baller Brand products. In May 2017, Big Baller Brand released Lonzo's first shoe, the ZO2. The price of the shoe caused a lot of discussion.

Lonzo later decided to end his connection with a manager from Big Baller Brand. The Lakers also had concerns about the quality of the Big Baller Brand shoes. They thought the shoes might have contributed to his ankle injuries. After this, Lonzo removed references to Big Baller Brand from his social media. He also got a tattoo related to the brand covered up.

Music Career

Lonzo Ball enjoys making rap music in his free time. He has said that if he wasn't an NBA player, he would be a rapper.

In September 2017, Lonzo released his first rap song, "Melo Ball 1". This song was a tribute to his youngest brother, LaMelo. He also released a song called "ZO2", which was about his own shoe brand. Later, he released "Super Saiyan," inspired by the Dragon Ball Z anime.

On February 15, 2018, Lonzo released his first album, Born 2 Ball. The album was released under Big Baller Music Group. In March, Born 2 Ball reached No. 42 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart. It also reached No. 13 on its Heatseekers Albums chart.

Discography

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 appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer. He performed as the character "Whatchamacallit." He was eliminated in Week 8 of the competition.

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 reality show on Facebook Watch called Ball in the Family.

Lonzo has a daughter.

See also

In Spanish: Lonzo Ball para niños