Hey everyone, it’s your boy back again with another deep dive into the world of basketball! Today, we’re talking about LaMelo Ball, and specifically, his journey or should I say, his lack of a journey through the college ranks. It’s a topic that’s been discussed a lot, and I wanted to do my own digging and share my findings with y’all.
So, first things first, I started where everyone starts these days – the internet. I was already kind of familiar with LaMelo’s story because the Ball family is always on the news or in social media, you know? They are kind of everywhere and it is hard not to have heard of them. I just typed in “LaMelo Ball college” into my search bar and boom, the results were flooded. It was clear from the get-go that this guy didn’t take the traditional route. Instead of NCAA ball, I saw terms like “Lithuania” and “Vytautas” popping up. Yeah, Vytautas. I mean, who even knows what that is? Turns out, it’s a professional team.
I dug deeper. I went through articles, watched some old interviews, and even checked out some of his game footage from way back. I wanted to understand why a top prospect like LaMelo would skip college altogether. I mean, I always thought you had to go to college to get drafted, guess that’s not always the case. What I found was pretty interesting. LaMelo was already considered a “professional” player at just 17, pretty crazy, right? So the thought of him playing college ball just didn’t make sense. The NBA rules wouldn’t allow it.
The Lithuanian Adventure
This part of his journey really caught my eye. I mean, a teenager moving to Lithuania to play pro ball? That’s a bold move. It was kind of crazy, to be honest. I learned that he played for Vytautas Prienu in the Lithuanian LKL. I spent a good chunk of time looking at his stats from that period. He appeared in eight games, averaged 6.5 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 rebounds in about 12.8 minutes per game.
- Games Played: 8
- Points per game: 6.5
- Assists per game: 2.4
- Rebounds per game: 1.1
Not exactly superstar numbers, but hey, he was a kid playing against grown men. It had to be a great experience for him, nonetheless.
Skipping College, Straight to the NBA
After piecing together his unconventional path, I focused on his entry into the NBA. This is where things got even more interesting. LaMelo was picked third overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2020 NBA draft. I remember watching that draft and thinking, “This kid’s got something special.”
And boy, was I right. He went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021. I followed his rookie season closely, watching as many Hornets games as I could. Seeing him develop and adapt to the NBA game was awesome. I was like, “Yeah, this guy really made the right call skipping college.” It definitely seems like it all worked out for him.
The next year, he was named an NBA All-Star. That’s huge! That was just his second year. I even got to watch a couple of his All-Star game plays. It was clear he belonged there. To go from playing in Lithuania to becoming an NBA All-Star in just a few years is wild. It just goes to show you that there is no one way to the top.
So, that’s my take on LaMelo Ball’s decision to skip college. It was a unique path, filled with some unexpected turns, but it led him to where he is today – a rising star in the NBA. It really makes you think about the different ways people can achieve their dreams, right?
Hope y’all found this breakdown interesting. I definitely enjoyed going down this rabbit hole and learning more about LaMelo’s journey. Until next time, keep balling!
