Lonzo Ball Bio
Lonzo Anderson Ball, born October 27, 1997, is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A point guard, he played one season of college basketball at UCLA before the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the second overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. Ball earned consensus first-team All-American honors in his lone college season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018. After stints with the Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Chicago Bulls, he joined the Cavaliers in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Lonzo Anderson Ball was born in Anaheim, California, on October 27, 1997, to LaVar and Tina Ball. Both parents were former college basketball players, giving their son an early foundation in the sport. The 6-foot-6 Ball began playing basketball at the age of two and grew up watching LeBron James, who became his idol by the time he was six years old. He has two younger brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, who both became professional basketball players in their own right.
Ball attended Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California, where he starred under the guidance of his father. As a junior in 2014–15, he averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 5 blocks, and 5 steals per game, showcasing a versatile two-way skill set. In his senior year, he led the Huskies to a perfect 35–0 record and a state championship, joined on the roster by his brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo, as well as his cousin Andre. The team finished the season ranked as the consensus No. 1 high school team in the nation.
During his senior campaign, Ball averaged a triple-double with 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 11.7 assists per game. He earned multiple national player of the year honors, including Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year, USA Today Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and Mr. Basketball USA. Rated as a consensus five-star recruit, Ball signed a National Letter of Intent in November 2015 to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, and play for the UCLA Bruins.
Path to Basketball
Ball’s path to professional basketball was shaped by family and mentorship from an early age. With both parents having played at the college level, the Ball household revolved around the sport. Until the three brothers reached high school, they all played together on teams coached by their father LaVar, whose presence proved instrumental in their development. The structured, family-led environment helped Lonzo refine his elite court vision and passing instincts, traits that would later define his game.
His high school success at Chino Hills cemented his reputation as one of the top recruits in the country. As a senior, Ball led his team to an undefeated season and a national No. 1 ranking, while also collecting nearly every major national player of the year award. By the end of his prep career, he was ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2016 high school class, behind Harry Giles, Josh Jackson, and Jayson Tatum, according to both Rivals.com and ESPN. His commitment to UCLA gave him the platform to showcase his skills on a national stage.
Lonzo Ball Career
College Career (2016–2017)
As a freshman at UCLA in 2016–17, Ball was one of 50 players named to the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award. He quickly established himself as one of the nation’s elite playmakers, leading the country in assists and guiding the Bruins to a 31–5 record after the program had gone 15–17 the previous season. Ball was named the MVP of the Wooden Legacy tournament after leading UCLA to a victory over Texas A&M in the championship game.
Ball averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds for the season, becoming the only player in the nation to average at least 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds. He was a unanimous first-team All-American, earning honors from the Associated Press, the United States Basketball Writers Association, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and Sporting News. He also won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the top freshman in the nation and was voted Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
Los Angeles Lakers (2017–2019)
Ball was selected with the second overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft by his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. During the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, he was named league MVP after averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, becoming the first rookie in Summer League history to record more than one triple-double. Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson publicly described Ball as the new face of the franchise.
As a rookie in 2017–18, Ball played in 52 games, missing 30 due to shoulder and knee injuries. He finished the season with averages of 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In 2018–19, he added muscle that improved his defense, becoming one of the Lakers’ most dynamic defenders. A Grade 3 left ankle sprain suffered on January 19, 2019, against the Houston Rockets ended his season in March after the Lakers shut him down.
New Orleans Pelicans (2019–2021)
On July 6, 2019, Ball was traded, along with Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, draft picks, and cash, to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for All-Star Anthony Davis. In his first full healthy season with the team, Ball posted career highs in scoring, three-point percentage, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage. His average of 14.6 points per game set a new career standard, while his 37.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc showed clear improvement.
Ball set multiple career milestones with the Pelicans, including a career-high 33 points on May 1, 2021, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, along with 11 rebounds and eight assists in a 140–136 overtime victory. On April 5, 2021, he hit a career-high eight three-pointers against the Houston Rockets. After two seasons in New Orleans, he became a restricted free agent.
Chicago Bulls (2021–2025)
On August 8, 2021, Ball was traded to the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal, and he signed a four-year, $85 million contract extension with the team. He opened his Bulls tenure with back-to-back strong performances, including a triple-double of 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the New Orleans Pelicans. However, a meniscus tear in his left knee required surgery on January 20, 2022, and he was eventually ruled out for the remainder of that season. He played in just 35 games, the fewest of his career.
Over the following two seasons, Ball underwent multiple procedures on his left knee, including arthroscopic debridement and a cartilage transplant. He missed the entirety of the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons. After being cleared for full-contact five-on-five scrimmages in July 2024, Ball returned to game action in October 2024 and played the bulk of the 2024–25 campaign for Chicago. On February 5, 2025, he and the Bulls agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension.
Cleveland Cavaliers Era (2025–Present)
On July 6, 2025, Ball was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Isaac Okoro, bringing his journeyman NBA arc full circle. The move offered him a fresh start with a young Eastern Conference contender.
Lonzo Ball Career Wins
Ball has compiled a résumé that includes individual awards at the college level, Summer League MVP honors, and selection to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Major Honors and Achievements
Ball earned consensus first-team All-American honors at UCLA in 2017, along with the Wayman Tisdale Award as the nation’s top freshman. He was named NBA Summer League MVP in 2017 and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018.
Lonzo Ball Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Ball was raised by LaVar and Tina Ball, both former college basketball players. He has two younger brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, who also pursued professional basketball careers. In February 2017, his mother Tina suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for two months.
Personal Life
Ball has been in an on-and-off long-term relationship with Denise García, with whom he has a daughter. In August 2017, Ball and his family premiered their Facebook Watch reality show, Ball in the Family.
2025 Season Performance
Ball’s 2025 calendar year began with the back half of his Chicago Bulls tenure. After agreeing to a two-year contract extension in February, he continued to provide steady guard play and outside shooting for a Bulls team that missed the playoffs. Following the 2024–25 season, Chicago traded him to Cleveland on July 6, 2025, signaling a fresh start on a young Cavaliers roster aiming to compete in the Eastern Conference.
Ball’s season outlook with Cleveland centers on his health and whether he can build on the gains he made in his 2024–25 return. After missing nearly three full seasons because of knee surgeries, he showed he can still space the floor and operate as a secondary playmaker. The Cavaliers are expected to use him as a complementary guard, leaning on his three-point shooting and veteran presence behind their younger core.