LiAngelo Ball, the middle brother of the Ball family, is trying to be the third brother to play in the NBA. Older brother, Lonzo Ball recently signed a four-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, younger brother LaMelo Ball just wrapped up his rookie season where he made a name for himself and won Rookie of the Year honors.

LiAngelo is getting an opportunity with the Hornets at the Las Vegas Summer League. In his debut game, he made five 3-pointers and finished the game with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in just 16 minutes of action.

Lavar Ball, the father of this family, sat courts-side in a hat that said “I told you so.” Youngest brother LaMelo was also in attendance as he sat with his Hornet teammates and coaches. 

LiAngelo went undrafted in 2018 and the closest he has gotten to being an NBA player was a stint with the Thunder as a practice player and a training camp deal with the Pistons. He looks to continue to perform at a high level and capitalize on the current opportunity. 

LiAngelo Ball has been offered a NBA G League Contract with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Oklahoma Thunder’s affiliate team. The 21-year-old last played in the Junior Basketball Association, (JBA) a league created by his father Lavar Ball as an alternative to college basketball. LiAngelo has been working out with the Blue for two months and sources suggest he will sign the contract very soon, according to NBA.com. The Blue have 12 games left on their schedule.

Originally recruited by UCLA in 2017, Ball only made one appearance in preseason for the Bruins after being suspended indefinitely by the university for his role in a shoplifting case in Hangzhou, China. Shortly after, LiAngelo announced his withdrawal from the University on December 4, 2017, and later joined his brother LaMelo to play for BC Prienai of the Lithuania Basketball League in January 2018. In 14 games played, LiAngelo averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 rebounds a game while shooting 42.5% from the field.

Before playing sparingly in the JBA, Ball entered the 2018 NBA Draft but was not selected. His talent level was always questioned and league sources never saw him becoming a player that could be a contributor on an NBA team, but this contract definitely gives him another chance to prove his worth. His father Lavar appeared on FS1’s “Undisputed” and made a bold prediction Tuesday.

“Gelo’s always been the best scorer, everywhere he go,” LaVar said. “When he gets in the NBA, within three years, I guarantee he’s the scoring champ—guarantee.”

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LiAngelo is the brother of Pelicans’ point guard Lonzo Ball and projected 2020 NBA Draft first round pick LaMelo Ball. His contract offer was first reported by The Athletic.

LaMelo Ball has been impressing NBA scouts in Australia and is projected by experts to be selected first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. When asked if he should be drafted first Ball told Yahoo Sports, “Most Definitely. I believe in myself and I’ve worked hard to get here.”

Originally, LaMelo made headlines when he joined his brother Liangelo Ball on the varsity basketball team at Chino Hills in California when he was just 14 years old. He is the youngest Ball brother and possibly the best athlete in the family. His oldest brother Lonzo Ball was traded to the Pelicans this offseason after spending two years with the Lakers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5mCDPQFSSq/

In 2017, LaMelo signed a contract to play professionally in Lithuania with BC Prienai after his father Lavar Ball pulled him out of high school due to a dispute with the coach.  He was joined by his other older brother Liangelo, who had a scholarship to play at UCLA, but left amid a suspension for shoplifting with his teammates while they were in China.

Moving to Lithuania for three months was an interesting choice by his boisterous father Lavar who faced backlash for making LaMelo ineglible to play in the NCAA by having him sign a professional contract at age 16.  LaMelo only averaged 6.5 ppg and shot 27% from the field. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman spoke to his teammates at the time and they used the words ‘lazy’ and ‘arrogant’ when referring to Ball.

Since then LaMelo has definitely worked on his game and is currently measured at 6’7. Now playing on the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League in Austrailia, Ball is averaging 17ppg., 7 apg and 7.5 rpg through 12 games. Last week he set the record for the youngest player to record a triple double in NBL history at just 18 years old.

Based on game film he appears to have better ball-handling and shooting skills than his brother Lonzo. His teammate and former NBA player, Aaron Brooks, said, “The stuff I see is NBA stuff. His IQ is amazing. There’s no doubt about it. He’s ready for the NBA. His ceiling is so high.”

“I don’t want to be a player that’s just drafted and is a role player in the NBA. I want to keep rising from there and be one of the best to ever play the game. I’ve been working my whole life for this,” Lamelo told Yahoo Sports.

During a conversation between Brooks and LaMelo, Brooks was praising Lonzo’s talents when LaMelo responded emphatically, “I’m better.”

LaMelo Ball may not be playing in the NBA yet, but he could soon have a major sneaker contract.

According to BleacherReport, representatives for Ball — the 18-year-old son of Big Baller Brand founder and CEO LaVar Ball — are discussing a potential shoe deal for the young guard. It remains unknown exactly which brand LaMelo Ball will sign the contract with, as his camp is reportedly speaking to several sports apparel companies. However, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony noted that the teenager chose to wear Nike merchandise over Big Baller Brand gear in a recent NBL Blitz preseason tournament in Australia.

The news comes amid speculation that LaMelo Ball could be the top selection in the 2020 NBA draft. Ball, who plays for the Illawarra Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League, said in an interview on ESPN in June that he hoped to become the top pick in next year’s draft. The guard previously played for the Los Angeles Ballers of the Junior Basketball Association and for BC Prienai in Lithuania.

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LaMelo Ball has impressed many NBA pundits and scouts with his shooting and ball-handling abilities, which he has displayed as a member of several teams:

Should Ball sign a lucrative shoe deal next year after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, he would not be the first top selection to do so. In July, former Duke standout Zion Williamson reportedly inked a five-year, $75 million sneaker contract with Jordan Brand after the New Orleans Pelicans selected him as the top pick in this year’s draft.

It was also announced this week that a portion of the Australian NBL’s games this season will be live-streamed on Facebook, a move that will surely help Ball gain further exposure.

Basketball’s most talked about 17-year-old, LaMelo Ball, announced on ESPN’s The Jump this week that he will be heading to Australia to play for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL.

The Wollongong-based team is located just shy of 60 miles away from Sydney, and will be looking to develop his talents ahead of him going to the NBA Draft next year. Lonzo Ball’s youngest brother has been in the spotlight of high school basketball ever since his Chino Hills high school games went viral on the internet, as all three Lonzo, LaMelo and their middle brother LiAngelo were on the same team.

LaVar Ball, the father of the three Ball brothers, pulled LaMelo out of Chino Hills to play in Lithuania as a 16-year-old. After playing in Lithuania’s professional league for around four months, LaMelo came back to the States to finish high school at the Spire Academy in Ohio. Former NBA Player Jermaine Jackson coached Ball at Spire, and will be going to Australia with him to help Ball develop into his desired No. 1 pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

“My agents did a ton of research on the options I had to play this coming season, and Australia really made sense for me,” Ball said to ESPN. “They have a really strong league, with excellent coaches and great players, including former and future NBA players, and great strength and conditioning programs. My goal is to be the top pick in next year’s draft, and I feel they can help me reach that goal. Also, the timing of the season works well with the timing of next year’s draft.”

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The NBL has increased dramatically in talent over the last few months, with ESPN’s No. 5 prospect RJ Hampton declaring that he will be playing for the New Zealand Breakers for a year before the 2020 Draft, denying the option to play in the NCAA. LaMelo was expected to not play for the NCAA, as he has his own shoe brand and income that would be a violation of the NCAA rules.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have LaMelo coming to join the NBL this season,” NBL CEO Jeremy Loeliger said to ESPN. “I think it’s a real win-win situation for everyone involved. It gives him a fantastic opportunity to play against some hardened professionals, which I think will do wonders in terms of getting him ready for his rookie year in the NBA. He’ll get the chance to answer a lot of questions being asked by a lot of people — and everything I’ve seen makes me think he’s going to take a lot of them by surprise.”

Lonzo Ball was recently traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as a major asset for Anthony Davis. LaVar Ball was asked what he thought of as the Los Angeles Lakers traded away his son, and he was typical LaVar.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, checking in once again with basketball’s most charismatic father felt like an all but too mandatory affair to dismiss. During Tuesday’s early hours, LaVar Ball joined multiple Fox Sports One telecasts to express his opinions amid the continuous turnover within the Los Angeles Lakers organization.

Alongside Shannon Sharpe, Skip Bayless, Jason Whitlock and Marcellus Wiley, Ball offered input detailing GM Magic Johnson, new GM Rob Pelinka, and owner Jeanie Buss, all of which displayed the trio as a flawed assembly, adding to the already mountainous pile of stories that already do the same.

Throughout his always entertaining dialogue, which during past events even included one–one–one blacktop basketball challenges against LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Ice Cube, Ball expressed his ongoing distrust during his encounters with Lakers front office members. Most notably, Ball mentioned a discussion between Johnson and Pelinka where the two led Ball to believe a roster spot stood accessible for his second son, LiAngelo Ball. This potential deal would have allied two Ball children, teaming them up in the purple and gold.

Ball illustrated the unfulfilled promise as he stated, “Yes Magic and Rob Pelinka did behind closed doors” once asked whether or not the two executives declared their original intentions to sign LiAngelo. Ball later included his surprise after last year’s offseason plans failed to include LiAngelo as he mentioned, “One of the things they told me is, ‘We keep family together.’ Now if you want Lonzo [Ball] to lead this team, why don’t you get a piece that works well with him which is his brother? You gotta get ‘Gelo [LiAngelo Ball] first. You at least got to give him a chance to play with Lonzo. You should have at least got him in Summer League. I thought they were going to take him with the last pick.”

During his afternoon shift, Ball’s slam dunk on the Los Angeles front office continued. Ball held little back during a rant, which included numerous jabs at Buss. Since acquiring the Lakers, scrutiny such as this stands as no stranger to Buss, as the media often criticizes her team involvement, decisions and overall rights to the team.  Although Ball exerted cautious respect for his son’s employer, he stuck to his remarks, clearly establishing his negative feelings for Buss by calling her “sensitive” and agreeing with the view that she makes emotional decisions.

Once moving on from announcing his disappointment regarding the Lakers’ front office, Ball visited the familiar topic of his oldest son’s current status as a Laker. As expected, Ball spoke favorably when analyzing his son. Ball first disclosed any story reporting a possible trade involving Lonzo, as he stated, “The Lakers won’t trade Lonzo, he’s marketable. You don’t have to worry about him about him being in trouble. He doesn’t do any drugs.” He later claimed Lonzo’s play style resembles James’, contributing to multiple reasons as to why a James departure from Los Angeles remains preposterous.

Despite his clear connections to the Lakers, Ball holds no effective decision-making powers. However, Ball included his blueprint to fix the troublesome Lakers, which curiously included reuniting James with pending free–agent point guard Kyrie Irivng and also finally fulfilling the promise to make LiAngelo Ball a Laker. While Ball remains a somewhat comical character within the NBA universe, his former statements and predictions regarding Luke Walton and Johnson now appear logical rather than radical, as both find themselves unemployed. With an entertaining offseason ahead, we’ll soon find out if Ball indeed is onto something.

Lonzo Ball is cutting ties left and right and striving for some sort of independence. After rising to fame under the wing of his overbearing father, Lavar Ball, the 21-year-old Los Angeles Lakers guard is developing into his own person.

On Friday, April 5, Ball mutually agreed to part way with his agent, Harrison Gaines.

“Harrison Gaines has been a trusted advisor and close friend for many years,” he said in a statement. “He guided my NBA career with integrity and always had my best interests at heart.”

The announcement comes just two weeks after Ball cut ties with former Big Baller Brand co-founder Alan Foster as well as suing him for damages of at least $2 million. Despite that, he insists that Gaines supported him throughout the situation and that the timing has no relation to it.

“Harrison has always had my back and although we will no longer be working together after mutually deciding to part ways; our relationship will always be bigger than basketball,” Ball added.

Gaines has been Ball’s agent since he left UCLA after his freshman season. However, he never became part of the Big Baller Brand that the Ball family pushed for years. Instead, he founded his own agency, SLASH Sports, with which he represents former NBA prospect Xavier Thames and former NBA players Jamaal Franklin, Isaiah Austin and Jabari Brown.

“Lonzo Ball was the first client to sign with me. He has been nothing short of phenomenal and is one of the bright young NBA Stars. I thank him and his family for giving me an opportunity,” Gaines said when the news broke. “Mutually, we have decided to part ways. I wish Lonzo great success in the future. As I turn this page, I will continue to work hard for all of my clients.”

Despite seperating from the Big Baller Brand, Ball is not finding an agent on his own. His father has been present with him during meetings with prospective agents and has been inquiring about teaming up his three sons all together on one NBA team.

LaMelo Ball is returning to high school after playing professionally in Lithuania. It’s a move that his new school, The Spire Institute in Ohio, said was made when “basketball is the furthest thing from his mind.” The former Top 100 recruit told Slam Magazine he’s returning to the U.S. and landing in Geneva, Ohio. He’s going to try and regain the public spotlight that dried up when he tried to play for BC Vytautas with his NBA-reject brother, LiAngelo Ball.

LaMelo Ball back playing in high school

LiAngelo has also told NBA G-league teams that he plans to enter into the pool of players that they can sign. He committed to UCLA but left the team after one preseason game when he was caught stealing in China. He then entered the NBA Draft and was skipped over 60 times. He did all this while creating a new stat, “The LiAngelo” when a player records zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists, and one steal.

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The Spire Institute markets itself as a school meant for athletes who want to take their game to the next level. They focus on swimming, track and field and basketball. They’ve also got some really interesting athletes playing alongside Ball, including 15-year-old 7-foot-7 Robert Bobroczkyi and Michigan commit Rocket Watts. LaMelo has to succeed here if he ever wants to make it to the NBA. By going overseas and signing an agent, he forfeited his NCAA eligibility.

Associate academy director Justin Brantley told ESPN that Ball was never compensated or paid for playing in Lithuania or his father’s JBA, making him eligible to play this season.

LaMelo Ball, the youngest brother of Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, was ejected from a basketball game on Monday for starting a bench-clearing brawl.

LaMelo Ball Fights With Opponent In Lithuania

While playing for a team representing the Junior Basketball Association, the league started by his father LaVar Ball, LaMelo appeared against Alytaus Dzukija of the Lithuanian league LKL.

After Ball drove to the basket and missed a layup, he appeared to shove defender Mindaugas Susinskas. Susinskas responded by tapping Ball on the back of his head.

Ball then slapped Susinskas in the face and both players started shoving and came to blows. Eventually, multiple members of each team jumped in. Both Ball and Susinskas were ejected.

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Ball finished the game with 15 points. Susinskas had three. Ball’s team led by 15 at the incident but ended up losing following a 23-point comeback, 124-116.

Ball and his 19-year-old brother LiAngelo Ball played for Vytautas Prienu of the LKL earlier this year until their father pulled them from the team with two games remaining in the season.

LaVar Ball is well known at this point for making bold, pretentious claims, and his latest assertion concerns LeBron James. 

LaVar Ball Claims He Could Beat LeBron James

The father of Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball said this week in an interview that he believes that in his “heyday,” he could have easily defeated James — Lonzo’s new Lakers teammate — in a one-on-one matchup.

“Back in my heyday can’t nobody hold me, 270 benching 500,” Ball said in an interview with Fanatics View, in which he also called King James “too weak.”

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When asked if he had proof of being able to lift that much, Ball — a former college basketball and football player — said no video evidence was necessary.

“Don’t need no videos, it’s all up here,” Ball stated. “You want to come see me back in my heyday? I was a bad mamajama. I’m going to let you know. My will to win was too hard man. Man, 1-on-1 I’d be on myself all day.”

Earlier this month, Ball said he believed he and James would likely “get along.”

Ball had previously said he could also beat Michael Jordan one-handed in a one-on-one game. The founder of sports apparel company Big Baller Brand has made so many outlandish claims that it even prompted “Saturday Night Live” to spoof Ball multiple times. Cast member Kenan Thompson, who played Ball, even appeared alongside the “NBA on TNT” crew earlier this year:

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The NBA’s summer league grants teams a chance to try out different rosters in order to figure out how they can improve their squads in the coming season. Whether they be freshly drafted rookies or incoming veterans, players in the summer league do their best to show teams that they can succeed on an NBA roster. Unfortunately for LiAngelo Ball, his hopes of joining the Lakers’ summer league team are not going to come to fruition just yet, as they officially informed Ball on Thursday night that he will not be invited.

The younger brother of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball has worked out for the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, but has yet to be drafted or brought on by any NBA team. LiAngelo has not been particularly impressive to NBA scouts, and the fact that he hasn’t been invited to a summer league doesn’t bode well for his NBA hopes.

However, the Lakers indicated that their decision not to invite Ball to the summer league extends past basketball itself. The Lakers told Ball that he would be put on a “a merit-based system” to go along with putting in impressive workouts, and the organization clearly isn’t satisfied with Ball’s effort on either end.

Ball and his two brothers became fixtures of the sports world in 2017 thanks to their father, LaVar Ball, being tremendously obnoxious and egotistical while working his kids up to be the greatest basketball players ever. While his Lonzo himself has been relatively low-key and had a decent rookie season with the Lakers, LaVar pulled LiAngelo out of UCLA after LiAngelo was charged with shoplifting while in China. Whether or not the Lakers have decided not to bring Ball into their summer league primarily due to off the court issues or his performance in workouts, one source claimed that “Obviously, there’s more to it than basketball.”

Ball can still be invited to join another organization’s summer league team, but it seems most likely that he’ll spend the near future continuing to play in Lithuania.

LiAngelo Ball has decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft.

LiAngelo Ball declares for 2018 NBA Draft news

The 19-year-old former UCLA star has been playing for Lithuanian team Vytautas Prienu. Just hours before his announcement, Ball scored 72 points in a Big Baller Brand Challenge game between Vytautas and the Guangdon Southern Tigers of the Chinese basketball league.

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Ball’s younger brother LaMelo added 36 points and their outspoken father LaVar Ball served as the squad’s head coach in the 159-115 win.

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LiAngleo — whose older brother Lonzo is a rookie for the Los Angeles Lakers — made headlines late last year when him and his UCLA teammates were caught shoplifting in China while the Bruins were in the country for an exhibition game.  Upon his return to the United States, he was suspended indefinitely by UCLA and left the program without having played a game.

Ball averaged 15.7 points in nine games with Vytautas. Many basketball experts seem to agree it is a long-shot for LiAngelo Ball to be drafted by the NBA this year (at least as a top pick).

One person who disagrees with these experts, however, is Paul Pierce. The former Boston Celtics star told TMZ that he believes Ball has a good chance of being drafted.

“I think he got a good shot man, you know. I hope all the Ball brothers make it to the league,” Pierce told TMZ Sports of the Chino Hills, California family.

LaVar Ball has also reportedly been grooming LaMelo to join the NBA as soon as possible.

Check out Pierce’s comments below:

LaVar Ball has threatened the Los Angeles Lakers all the way from Eastern Europe, where his younger sons LiAngelo and LaMelo have been playing basketball.

LaVar Ball statement on Lonzo, Lakers news

The abrasive founder of sports apparel company Big Baller Brand warned the Lakers on Monday that if they didn’t sign his two younger children in two years — when the oldest Ball son Lonzo, a Lakers rookie, will become available for free agency — LaVar will pull 20-year-old point guard Lonzo off the team.

LiAngelo, a 19-year-old former UCLA player, and 16-year-old LaMelo — who was pulled out of high school early by his father — recently began playing with Prienu Vytautas in the Lithuanian League (LKL), a minor team in the nation, and have reportedly not had much success there.

“I want all three boys to play for the Lakers,” LaVar said in conversation with Lithuanian sports writer Donatas Urbonas. “But if that does not happen, I’m telling you the story what’s gonna happen first. If they don’t take Gelo this year, I bring back Gelo here to play with Melo for two years. Lonzo will be on his third year, and I let every NBA team know that Lonzo is not going to re-sign with the Lakers but will go to any team that will take all of my three boys. That’s my plan.”

Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Gruber was asked his reaction to LaVar’s statement by TMZ, and this is what he said:

“I don’t listen to that conversation,” said Gruber. “I have a disconnect.” He then mouths some words that aren’t all completely discernible, but it is clear Gruber is not interested in learning more about this.

ESPN First Take’s crew, including the equally outspoken Stephen A. Smith, also had a few words to say about LaVar Ball’s ultimatum:

Lonzo recently sprained his left MCL and has been ruled out through the All-Star break to give the Chino Hills, California native enough time to recover. He has missed 13 straight games since sustaining the injury on Jan. 13, but returned to practice on Tuesday.

Lakers coach Luke Walton has not provided an estimated return date for Lonzo. The team’s first game after the break is Feb. 21 against Dallas.

LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 13: Ice Cube and Lavar Ball compete in the Four Point Challenge during week eight of the BIG3 three on three basketball league at Staples Center on August 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

LaVar Ball’s two youngest sons recently signed big deals to play abroad, and now their is more news coming out of the Ball family.

LaVar Ball new basketball league news

On Wednesday, the founder and CEO of Big Baller Brand announced he hopes to launch a basketball league for nationally ranked players who have graduated from high school but don’t wish to attend college.

Ball said his Junior Basketball Association — which is fully funded by Big Baller Brand — plans to pay the lowest-ranked player a salary of $3,000 a month and the best player $10,000 a month. Ball is looking for 80 players to fill 10 teams that will seek to play at NBA arenas in Los Angeles, Dallas, Brooklyn and Atlanta.

“Getting these players is going to be easy,” Ball told ESPN. “This is giving guys a chance to get a jump start on their career, to be seen by pro scouts; and we’re going to pay them, because someone has to pay these kids.”

Ball added the rules of his league will follow those of the NBA instead of college: 12-minute quarters and a pro 3-point line.

The former college basketball and pro football player said he was partly motivated by remarks made earlier this month by NCAA president Mark Emmert, who was asked at a SportsBusiness Journal conference whether Ball was good or bad for college basketball.

“Is this about someone being part of a university and playing basketball or any other sport with that school’s jersey on, representing that institution, or is it about preparing me for my career, my professional career as a ballplayer?” Emmert responded, just a few days after Ball’s son LiAngelo left UCLA to turn pro before even playing for the school. “If it’s the latter, you can do that inside a university and that might be a really good way to go. But if you don’t want to and you don’t think that it’s right for your family, then don’t come.”

LiAngelo and his 16-year-old high-school brother LaMelo signed one-year deals with Lithuanian pro basketball team Prienai Birstonas Vytautas last week.

The logo for Ball’s new league features the silhouette of LaVar’s oldest son Lonzo, a rookie who plays with the Los Angeles Lakers, going to the hoop for a dunk.

Lonzo said Wednesday after the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 122-116 that had his father’s league existed when he was finishing high school, he likely would have joined it.

“Personally, probably,” said the rookie. “If you know you’re going to be a [draft pick], go ahead and get to play versus the top guys in the country and move on with your life.”

LaVar Ball and his three sons star in a reality web series on Facebook called “Ball in the Family,” which premiered in August and chronicles their life in Chino Hills, California.

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, looks on during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City.

LiAngelo Ball may have been suspended from UCLA’s basketball team following his shoplifting incident in China, but he has quickly found another option to keep playing.

LiAngelo Ball basketball team news

Ball and his younger high-school brother LaMelo have reportedly agreed to sign one-year deals with professional Lithuanian club Prienu Vytautas, Ball family agent Harrison Gaines revealed.

Prienu Vytautas coach/GM Virginijus Seskus confirmed the news.

Chino Hills, California-based athletic apparel company Big Baller Brand, whose founder and CEO is LiAngelo and LaMelo’s brash father LaVar Ball, shared this photo on Twitter:

LaMelo and LiAngelo’s older brother Lonzo, 20, is a rookie for the Los Angeles Lakers who was drafted as the No. 2 overall pick.

Vytautas plays in the Lithuanian (LKL) league, but it is unlikely the Ball brothers would see significant playing time in that league. Vytautas also plays in the lesser competitive Baltic League, where the youngsters could get to play more. The team has reportedly discussed a role of 20 to 25 minutes of play per game apiece in the Baltic League.

Prienu Vytautas, or BC Prienai as it’s often called, is based in a small village of about 10,000 people in southern Lithuania. The club has been dealing with financial issues and lost eight of its first 12 games this season. The team is 4-1 in the Baltic League.

Vytautas has only signed one American player in the last ten years: former Vanderbilt guard Brad Tinsley. However, he left the team after a month.

The club plays in a 1,700-seat arena; 500 of those seats are reserved for team sponsors and their friends. Tickets cost around 5 euros.

The team’s best player right now seems to be the coach’s son, Edvinas Seskus. The other son, Domantas, also played for the club for four years, although he left this season to sign in the French fourth division.

The 16-year-old, 6-foot-3 LaMelo is a guard known for his shot-making prowess despite his unconventional shooting style. He is a career 30 percent 3-point shooter.

Meanwhile, 6-foot-5, 19-year-old LiAngelo only boasts occasional spot-up shooting. He is a career 32 percent 3-point shooter.

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 24: LiAngelo Ball #3 of Chino Hills High School shoots the ball during the game against Mater Dei High School at the Galen Center on February 24, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)

LaVar Ball has decided to withdraw his son LiAngelo from UCLA following an incident in China last month where LiAngelo and two other Bruins basketball players were detained for shoplifting.

LiAngelo Ball shoplifting incident suspension news

The middle Ball son, along with freshmen Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, have been suspended and barred from all team activities for stealing sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store in the Asian nation during a team trip for an exhibition match.

The incident coincided with President Donald Trump’s visit to China, and thus Trump offered unsolicited help to release the players from jail by speaking to Chinese President Xi Jinping. After LaVar criticized the President for meddling in his son’s affairs, Trump lashed out at the former basketball and football star in a series of tweets, calling LaVar ungrateful and saying he wishes he had left guard LiAngelo and his teammates in jail.

In his latest comments on the incident, LaVar now says UCLA’s basketball coaches should be held accountable for the players’ behavior.

“There’s no accountability to them?” LaVar said of the coaches during an interview on CNN’s “New Day” Tuesday morning.

Without naming coaches, LaVar slammed head coach Steve Alford and his staff for placing blame on the players and not taking enough responsibility.

“Let’s stand up to bat (for the players) and say you’re the coach,” Ball told CNN. “Coaches are making enough money. They’ve gotta hold some accountability.”

“You shouldn’t hang them on the cross for this long for that,” Ball said. “A kid wants to play basketball all his life. You take that away, that’s worse than jail. Why should we as parents and adults keep jumping on them? It’s not like we’re going through life without making mistakes. … China already forgave the boys. They returned it. Why keep them from playing sports and take their meal passes? You already sent a message. They already apologized. What’s the big deal?”

When the three players returned to the U.S., they were suspended indefinitely and told they would need to earn their spots back on the team.

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 24: LiAngelo Ball #3 of Chino Hills High School shoots the ball during the game against Mater Dei High School at the Galen Center on February 24, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)

As if Donald Trump hadn’t picked sufficient fights with athletes, he has now become embroiled in a beef with LaVar Ball.

LaVar Ball vs. Trump feud news

The President took to Twitter on Sunday to express anger over the ungratefulness of the Big Baller Brand founder and CEO, whose son LiAngelo landed himself in hot water earlier this month after he and two of his UCLA basketball teammates were caught shoplifting sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store in China.

Trump, who happened to be visiting the Asian country as part of a multi-nation trip, reportedly met with President Xi Jinping to order the three players’ release from jail. However, Trump claims Ball never thanked him for helping LiAngelo, and implied he regretted his interference.

“Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!”

Ball — himself a former college basketball and professional football player — went on CNN on Monday night to discuss the situation with Chris Cuomo. 

Ball refused to thank Trump for setting his son free, saying he should stick to his own affairs. He also said he would rather thank Jinping for the action.

“He didn’t even know they were over there,” Ball said of Trump. “What was he even over there for in the first place? … What I’m trying to say is, it’s not like he was in the US and said, ‘There’s three kids in China — I need to go over there and get ’em.’ That wasn’t the thought process.”

Ball continued: “I don’t have to go around saying ‘thank you’ to everybody,” Ball said. “He didn’t call me. I didn’t shake his hand. He didn’t have to say nothin’, but I’m just sayin’. I have to know what somebody is doing before I say ‘thank you.’ I’m not just going to go around saying ‘thank you.'”

“As far as me, let me deal with my son,” he added. “Let’s just stay in our lane.”

Ball did take the time to wish Trump a Happy Thanksgiving, however.

Ball is known for being an outspoken man, having made several appearances on WWE, and making outlandish claims that he could beat Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball game when he only averaged 2 points per game in college. He also took aim at LeBron James and his children. LaVar and his three sons — LiAngelo, Lakers rookie Lonzo and high-schooler LaMelo — star in a Facebook reality series named “Ball in the Family.”

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, looks on during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City.

LiAngelo Ball has landed himself in hot water.

LiAngelo Ball, UCLA Players shoplifting arrest news

LaVar Ball’s middle son — a freshman guard for UCLA — was detained alongside two of his Bruins basketball teammates in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday for alleged shoplifting.

LiAngelo Ball — whose brother is rookie Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball — and fellow freshmen Cody Riley and Jalen Hill were released on bail Wednesday morning after being questioned about allegedly stealing sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store adjacent to the team’s hotel in Hangzhou. The Bruins leave for Shanghai on Wednesday to play in an exhibition game there on Friday.

“We are aware of a situation involving U.C.L.A. student-athletes in Hangzhou, China,” U.C.L.A. said in a statement. “The university is cooperating fully with local authorities on this matter, and we have no further comment at this time.”

Coach Steve Alford said the trio of players will not play in Friday’s exhibition game.

Players from Georgia Tech, the school UCLA is set to play, were questioned but not charged.

“During the questioning, it was determined that Georgia Tech student-athletes were not involved in the activities being investigated,” the team said.

In China, theft is punishable by many days or several years in prison, depending on the severity of the offense.

LaVar Ball — who is in China and is being followed by a reality television crew for the Facebook show “Ball in the Family” — initially said he would “wait until I get more intel on what’s going on” before commenting on his son’s situation. However, he then quickly added that it didn’t seem like much cause for concern. “It ain’t that big of a deal,” said LaVar, the founder and CEO of sports apparel company Big Baller Brand.

Pac-12 conference commissioner Larry Scott released a statement to voice his discontent with the incident.

“U.C.L.A. is cooperating fully with local authorities. We are directing all inquiries about the specifics of this matter to U.C.L.A. We are very disappointed by any situation that detracts from the positive student-athlete educational and cultural experience that this week is about. Whether in the United States or abroad, we expect our student-athletes to uphold the highest standards. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Basketball is incredibly popular in China, although most fans pay attention to the NBA rather than the NCAA.

The incident came just as President Donald Trump landed in China on Wednesday for an official state visit.

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 24: LiAngelo Ball #3 of Chino Hills High School shoots the ball during the game against Mater Dei High School at the Galen Center on February 24, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)

LaVar Ball is keeping a close watch on his younger son.

LaVar Ball family news

The former football tight end and college basketball player announced he plans to take his 16-year-old son LaMelo out of Chino Hills High School and will home-school and train him for his last two years before college.

“I’m not dealing with the coach over there,” LaVar told ESPN. “I’m not dealing with the administration over there. I don’t want no distractions on Melo. So therefore I’m going to home-school him and make him the best basketball player ever.”

LaMelo scored 92 points for Chino Hills in a game last season. Chino Hills hired Dennis Latimore — a former Arizona and Notre Dame basketball star — as its new head coach in May, replacing Stephan Gilling, who was the head coach for one season.

LaMelo said Monday was his last day at Chino Hills, but is excited about this change in his scholastic life, “because I can spend all my time now and dedication into it instead of going to school and doing book work,” he told ESPN.

Former head Coach Steve Baik, who guided Chino Hills to 35-0 record two seasons ago before leaving for Fairfax, said, “A year ago, a few months ago, I thought this could never happen. I am really disappointed it couldn’t have worked out better for LaMelo and all the players. They’re really good kids. If I knew it was going to end up this way, maybe I wouldn’t have left. I didn’t forsee this happening.”

LaVar added that LaMelo still intends to sign with UCLA, where LaVar’s other son Lonzo played. Lonzo, who will be 20 later this month, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

Lonzo led the nation in assists during his freshman year with the Bears in 2016-2017. He suffered an ankle sprain with the Lakers in a preseason game on Monday night.

Ball owns a sports apparel line called Big Baller Brand, and has promoted it on WWE and other platforms.

LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 13: Ice Cube and Lavar Ball compete in the Four Point Challenge during week eight of the BIG3 three on three basketball league at Staples Center on August 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Ice Cube bested LaVar Ball in quite a surprising way on Sunday.

Ice Cube vs. LaVar Ball BIG3 Four-Point Challenge

The rapper, actor and co-founder of BIG3 — a three-on-three basketball league — defeated the former Cal State and Long Beach City tight end in the four-point challenge during Sunday’s showcase of the league at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. BIG3 is in its eighth week of action.

Ice Cube had challenged Ball in May to the shootout, and had promised to purchase ten sneakers from Ball’s sports apparel line Big Baller Brand if he lost. Ball accepted the challenge on Friday.

See the two compete in the challenge:

Ball sparked controversy earlier this spring after making comments about how his athlete sons — one of whom is former UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, the No.2 overall draft pick to the Los Angeles Lakers this year — are better than Stephen Curry. LaVar Ball also took a shot at LeBron James saying they likely wouldn’t be as good athletes and the Cleveland Cavaliers star forward’s children, as James or as his own sons.

Ball — who recently made an appearance on WWE’s “Monday Night RAW” — also drew headlines after saying that a pair of Big Baller Brand shoes would cost $495, and for claiming that he could defeat Michael Jordan in a one-on-one game.

Prior to facing Ice Cube, Ball told HoopJab’s Neal Anthony Johnson he “usually [goes] from the seven-point line” and responded “do the same thing I taught him” when asked if son LaMelo had offered him any pointers.

LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 13: Ice Cube and Lavar Ball compete in the Four Point Challenge during week eight of the BIG3 three on three basketball league at Staples Center on August 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)