LaMelo Ball
Many doubters of LaMelo Ball only recognize the Charlotte Hornets guard as “LaVar’s Dad.” It is true that LaMelo is famous due to LaVar’s marketing, with their family starring in the Facebook Watch show Ball In The Family before “Melo” could drive.
His early fame caused such vitriol that basketball fans openly rooted for his, Lonzo, and LiAngelo’s hoops failures. You can even find “fail” compilations still of a high school freshmen Melo bricking shots as a skinny 5’10” guard. A growth spurt and some seasoning against adults in Lithuania quickly vaulted the youngest Ball brother to #1 Draft Pick prospects.
LaMelo went #3 in the 2021 Draft but has shown flashes of the potential he can bring to the table. Like Lonzo, LaMelo has the court vision that makes basketball fans drool, with thread-the-needle and no-look dimes garnering plenty of views. Unlike ‘Zo, the younger ball has all the confidence in the world on shots, with his 6’7″ frame being a matchup nightmare for opposing point guards. LaMelo has all the potential in the world to match the hype that comes with his family name.
He also has the sneaker deal to match his ceiling, with Puma making LaMelo the face of the brand with a massive $100 million contract before he was even drafted.