LaMelo Ball got to play in Lithuania with his brother LiAngelo a few years ago. The experience eventually led to a return to the United States where he played basketball for his father's start-up league for high schoolers. Eventually, Ball then went to the NBL in Australia and New Zealand as a way to get professional experience instead of going to college. From there, he got drafted to the Charlotte Hornets, where he has blossomed into a bonafide star.
While doing an interview for Slam, Melo spoke about his time in Lithuania and how it ultimately shaped his NBA desires. For him, living there was so bad, that he truly did not care about his landing spot.
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“Honestly, after Lithuania, I didn’t give a fuck where I got drafted to,” Melo said. “The beds? You roll off to the left, you fall off. You roll off to the right, you fall off. Motherfucking calves hanging off the bed—not feet, calves hanging off the bed! It was bad, bro. Once you get through that, it was like, I don’t care where y’all put me in. As long as I’m in the States and I got water, I’m good.”
Now, Melo can live in comfort in Charlotte, while also living in Los Angeles during his downtime. Overall, it is a win-win for a player that could very well be a future MVP.
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