In being drafted to the Hornets with the No. 3 pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, LaMelo Ball joins a franchise that is in a rebuild. With multiple young players on the roster, Ball becomes the highlight piece on a team of peers.
One of those players, PJ Washington, has a direct link to Ball in the past. While speaking with the media following being selected, Ball discussed his excitement to join the Pelicans young core.
“I’m definitely excited,” he said. “I’ve been seeing them ever since I was young, for real. Miles (Bridges) at Michigan State and Huntington Beach and all that. And PJ, I played him when he was at Findlay (Prep). It’s going to be exciting. Two high-flyers that can get out and go and we got a young team. I feel like it’s going to be nice.”
A little bit of digging unearths evidence of a preseason preview between Chino Hills and Findlay Prep prior to the 2016-17 season. Chino Hills was coming off its unbeaten season in which they won the state title with all three Ball brothers. Findlay Prep was welcoming PJ Washington, a five-star recruit, to its program for his senior season.
There is no official box score from the meeting as it wasn’t an official contest. Findlay was able to knock off Chino Hills, 70-62, after a fast start to the game.
The contest featured the patented Chino Hills style of pressing and gambling defensively and hoisting threes offensively. A 16-year old LaMelo had some flashy plays and moments that impressed but largely looked like the kid most assumed he still was in 2020.
Washington, meanwhile, was a man amongst boys and often took advantage of Chino Hills gambling by hitting shots around the rim.
Chino Hills would go on to finish 31-3 before falling to Bishop Montgomery in the state tournament while Findlay Prep finished 33-4, losing in the national semifinals.