LiAngelo Ball couldn't find a spot on an NBA roster this summer so he has instead agreed to join his father's Junior Basketball Association, alongside his younger brother, LaMelo. LiAngelo, 19, will play for the Los Angeles Ballers and is expected to make his JBA debut this Thursday, July 12, against the Philadelphia Ballers.
As the official JBA press release reads, "After NBA teams surprisingly passed on LiAngelo Ball, he went to work out and give the teams that passed him a show. After seeing the competitiveness of the JBA and the talent level, LiAngelo made the decision to join the Los Angeles Ballers along with younger brother, LaMelo, and was present for his first practice this past Saturday."
Of his move to the JBA, LiAngelo says, "I just want to win for the team. That's all I want to do, win. I'm trying to play ball and I'm trying to get better every day." His younger brother LaMelo added, "It's all business. If you're not playing hard, you get sent home. They brought in Gelo while he's been working out at home. This is the JBA, you have to come to play. I love playing with my brother, we have great chemistry. It feels good to play with him again."
The league is comprised of eight teams based in major cities throughout the country including Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Dallas, New York, Houston, and Los Angeles. Each team, consisting of ten players between the ages of 17-19, will play a total of eight games, all of which will be streamed via Facebook Live.