From 2015 to 2016, both Lonzo and LaMelo Ball were high school teammates and shared a special connection with each other as brothers on the court. In an interview back in January, Lonzo stated how they have talked about playing on the same team once they reach the NBA level, but this goal has yet to be realized.

On Nov. 29 the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets matched up against each other; a couple of years ago, many fans would probably agree that this isn’t an exciting matchup, but things are looking completely different this time around because of two brothers, Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball. 

“I think the entirety of the United States has placed a wager on the Ball brothers both having a triple-double in the same game this evening (Nov. 29),” a user on twitter said. “Literally — everyone.”

Both Ball brothers played well in their matchup: Lonzo finished the game with 18 points, 8 assists and one rebound, and LaMelo concluded with 18 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds.

Sitting courtside to watch Lonzo and LaMelo put on a performance was their father, LaVar Ball. His Big Baller Brand cap, which read, “I told you so,” was unmistakable from the front row. 

LaVar has been out of the spotlight for quite some time after his controversial comments on ESPN’s First Take back in 2019. And though he’s not getting the media’s attention like he once did, he’s letting his sons’ performance on the court speak for itself.

Many NBA analysts have criticized Lavar Ball for his bold statements, like saying that Lonzo was better than Steph Curry before Lonzo even got drafted. Lavar even took a shot at Michael Jordan, who won six titles with the Chicago Bulls and is currently the majority owner of the Hornets.

“Back in my heyday, I would kill Michael Jordan one-on-one,” Lavar said. “I would just back (Jordan) in and lift him off the ground and call a foul every time he fouls me when I do a jump hook to the right or the left. He cannot stop me one-on-one.”

Sophomore business administration major Eli Dribben said while many of LaVar’s comments were for attention, the encouragement and hype that Lavar provided for his sons is what helped them achieve success at a high level.

“Obviously if you’re gonna be a dad or father, you’re going to want to support your kids in any way possible,” Dribben said. “And I think he really does that through (not only) having raised them and having given them natural athletic ability, but also through training them … and helping them be the best (they can be).”

Back in 2017, Lonzo was drafted 3rd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, and many expected Lonzo to be a star early on in his career. Though he showed great potential as a defender as a rookie on the Lakers, he struggled to shoot the ball, shooting 36% from the field and 45% from the free throw line.

The Lakers traded away Lonzo Ball on July 6, 2019 in a blockbuster deal to acquire power forward Anthony Davis, and though Lonzo showed improvement he was overshadowed by Zion Williamson. Even on the Bulls now, Dribben said that Lonzo gets lost in the mix.

“Lonzo was fun to watch on the Pelicans, but that’s because he had Zion (Williamson),” Dribben said. “He’s fun to watch on the Bulls now, because the Bulls team is just super deep and super stacked.”

Fortunately for Lonzo, he has recovered nicely this season and is beginning to establish his role on both ends of the floor as part of a revamped and exciting Chicago Bulls team. 

Despite being initially viewed as solely a defender, Lonzo is beginning to prove his skills as an offensive threat too. He’s averaging 12.8 points per game and shooting 42.1% from three along with an average of 1.7 steals and one block per game. 

Meanwhile, LaMelo is only in his second year in the NBA, but he is already on his way to becoming one of the best young superstars in the league. In 2020, he was drafted 3rd overall by the Charlotte Hornets and won rookie of the year. He is currently averaging 20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists. 

Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues spoke highly about LaMelo’s character and how LaMelo’s experience playing overseas made a significant impact on his transition to the NBA.

“LaMelo is infectious, the guys love playing with him,” Bogues said. “It’s a treat to see a guy to come in with that type of humbleness and willingness to want to uplift his teammates and I think him playing overseas last year allowed him to grow to play against those type of professional players and gave him a head start coming in to really just blend in with these guys. It’s been very noticeable, especially from last year to this year.”

Both Lonzo and LaMelo will thrive in the NBA, but most fans are looking forward to LaMelo Ball becoming one of the faces of the league. With this in mind, both players will be continued to be compared over the course of their careers especially because of the connection they share as brothers. 

For Dribben he thinks the individual performance of LaMelo is what will set apart the two Ball brothers.

”In terms of who's going to have a better career, LaMelo, right now, is definitely going to have a better career,” Dribben said. “I think Lonzo might have more accolades at the end of his career, but overall … LaMelo probably (has more individual awards).”