The Hornets have reportedly signed LiAngelo Ball to a non-guaranteed deal, and he will be on their training camp roster.
LiAngelo, whose older brother is Bulls guard Lonzo and whose younger brother is Hornets guard LaMelo, went undrafted in 2018. The 6-foot-5 guard has previously had opportunities with the Pistons and the Thunder, but he has still yet to appear on the court during an NBA game.
Last season, LiAngelo played fairly well for the Hornets during Las Vegas summer league. He shot 34.5% on 3-pointers, averaging 12 attempts per 36 minutes, and he signed a contract with the franchise. He reported to camp, but he was waived the next day.
Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, selected LiAngelo in the 2021 NBA G League Draft. He played 28 games last season, including 6 in the starting lineup. He averaged 4.5 points and 0.2 assists per game.
LaMelo described how it felt to have his brother so close to him in Charlotte (via Charlotte Observer):
“It helps for sure,” Ball said. “That’s the dude I grew up with. I see Melo every day, talk to him every day. So that’s still my brother at the end of the day even though he’s in the league. But yeah, it’s cool having him there, man. “S—, feels like home for real. I don’t know how to describe it. It feels like home. When I’m in Charlotte, I’ll be kicking it with him, playing basketball, doing all that stuff. It’s always good having a brother in the NBA.”
LiAngelo played for the Hornets once again in NBA 2K23 Summer League, and it didn’t go as well. He shot just 18.2% on 3-pointers over the course of his three games in Las Vegas.
It is unlikely that LiAngelo will make the official roster for Charlotte next season. However, even though he has made headlines since his time at Chino Hills High School several years ago, he doesn’t turn 24 years old until later this year.
While the path to the NBA is much harder the older a player gets, there are plenty of players who have recently found their way to the floor in the pros at that age or older.
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