History of Lonzo Ball in Timeline

Lonzo Ball is a professional basketball player currently playing for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. A point guard, he played college basketball for UCLA, earning All-American honors. He was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA draft. Ball was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018, marking a promising start to his professional career.

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Full Timeline

1992: NCAA Division I Stats

In the 1992-93 season, an NCAA Division I player achieved a certain statistical benchmark, used as a comparison point for Lonzo Ball's achievements.

1993: Jason Kidd's Stats

In the 1993-94 season, Jason Kidd achieved a certain statistical benchmark. Jason Kidd is compared to Lonzo Ball.

October 27, 1997: Lonzo Ball's Birth

On October 27, 1997, Lonzo Anderson Ball was born. He later became a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls.

1997: Ahlon Lewis's Assists Record

In the 1997-98 season, Ahlon Lewis recorded 294 assists. His record is compared to Lonzo Ball's assist record.

1999: Steve Francis' Record

In 1999-2000 Steve Francis had 17 rebounds as an NBA rookie guard, before Lonzo Ball.

2000: Steve Francis' Record

In 1999-2000 Steve Francis had 17 rebounds as an NBA rookie guard, before Lonzo Ball.

2008: NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

In 2008, the last triple double happened at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where Lonzo Ball was named league MVP.

2014: Junior year at Chino Hills High School

During his junior year in 2014-15 at Chino Hills High School, Lonzo Ball averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 5 blocks, and 5 steals.

November 2015: Signed with UCLA

In November 2015, Lonzo Ball signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UCLA and play for the Bruins.

2015: D'Angelo Russell traded

In 2015, D'Angelo Russell was traded to clear the way for Lonzo Ball.

2016: Rated as a five-star recruit

By the end of his senior year in 2016, Lonzo Ball was rated as a consensus five-star recruit.

2016: Freshman at UCLA

In 2016, Lonzo Ball began his freshman year at UCLA, being named to the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award.

2016: High School Player of the Year

In 2016, Lonzo Ball received multiple national high school player of the year awards. His team at Chino Hills High School achieved an undefeated 35-0 record and a national top ranking.

February 4, 2017: Game against Washington Huskies

On February 4, 2017, Lonzo Ball scored 22 points against Markelle Fultz and the Washington Huskies in front of NBA executives.

May 2017: Big Baller Brand Announces ZO2 Shoe Release

In May 2017, Big Baller Brand announced the release of Lonzo Ball's first shoe, the ZO2. The $495 price tag sparked criticism regarding its quality compared to brands like Nike and Adidas. LaVar Ball responded to critics, stating, "If you can't afford the ZO2S, you're NOT a BIG BALLER!"

September 2017: Release of "Melo Ball 1" and "ZO2"

In September 2017, Lonzo Ball released his first rap single, "Melo Ball 1", an ode to his youngest brother, LaMelo. During that same month, he also released the song "ZO2", a dedication to his own brand of shoes.

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October 20, 2017: Career-high 29 points

On October 20, 2017, Lonzo Ball scored a career-high 29 points in a win against the Phoenix Suns, also getting 11 rebounds and 9 assists.

December 20, 2017: Ball Named Logo for Junior Basketball Association (JBA)

On December 20, 2017, Lonzo Ball was announced as the logo for the Junior Basketball Association (JBA), a league his father LaVar planned to establish for high-school basketball players.

2017: Selected by Lakers in NBA Draft

In 2017, Lonzo Ball was selected as the second overall pick in the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and was billed as the 'new face of the Lakers'.

2017: Drafted by Los Angeles Lakers

In 2017, Lonzo Ball was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the second overall pick in the NBA draft.

January 13, 2018: Sprained MCL

On January 13, 2018, Lonzo Ball sprained the MCL in his left knee against the Dallas Mavericks.

February 15, 2018: Lip Sync Battle and Release of Born 2 Ball

On February 15, 2018, Lonzo Ball and his father participated in Lip Sync Battle as competitors. That same day, Lonzo Ball released his debut album, Born 2 Ball, under the name Zo. The album would be released under the Big Baller Music Group.

April 6, 2018: Jordan Crawford Wears ZO2s

On April 6, 2018, Jordan Crawford became the first player besides Lonzo Ball to wear the ZO2s during a game.

July 17, 2018: Arthroscopic surgery

On July 17, 2018, Lonzo Ball underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus.

2018: NBA All-Rookie Second Team

In 2018, Lonzo Ball was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

January 19, 2019: Ankle sprain during game against the Houston Rockets

On January 19, 2019, Lonzo Ball had a career-high seven assists in a quarter against the Houston Rockets, but suffered a Grade 3 left ankle sprain with a torn ligament. He left the game with 11 assists, and was later ruled out for the Rising Stars game due to the injury.

March 2019: Severance of Ties with Alan Foster and BBB Changes

In March 2019, Lonzo Ball severed ties with Big Baller Brand's manager Alan Foster, accusing him of financial misconduct, including $1.5 million missing. He removed BBB references from social media and covered up his BBB tattoo. Concerns over the quality of BBB's shoes and their potential link to his ankle injuries also emerged.

July 6, 2019: Trade to New Orleans Pelicans

On July 6, 2019, Lonzo Ball was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans along with Ingram, Josh Hart, draft rights to De'Andre Hunter, two first-round draft picks, a first-round pick swap and cash in exchange for Anthony Davis.

January 18, 2020: First Triple-Double of the Season

On January 18, 2020, Lonzo Ball recorded his first triple-double of the season, with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 133–130 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

January 29, 2021: Matches Career-High in Three-Pointers and Season-High Points

On January 29, 2021, Lonzo Ball matched his then career-high of seven three-pointers, scoring a season-high 27 points in a 131–126 win over the Bucks.

August 8, 2021: Trade to Chicago Bulls

On August 8, 2021, Lonzo Ball was traded to the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal. The Pelicans received Tomáš Satoranský, Garrett Temple and draft picks. He signed a four-year, $85 million contract extension with the Bulls.

January 20, 2022: Knee Surgery Announcement

On January 20, 2022, the Bulls announced that Lonzo Ball would undergo surgery on his left knee due to a meniscus tear and was expected to miss six to eight weeks.

2022: Sidelined with knee injury

In 2022, Lonzo Ball continued to be sidelined with the Chicago Bulls due to a persistent knee injury.

February 21, 2023: Ruled Out for Remainder of 2022-23 Season

On February 21, 2023, the Bulls announced that Lonzo Ball would be out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season due to recurring discomfort in his knee during basketball activities.

March 16, 2023: Cartilage Transplant Surgery

On March 16, 2023, Lonzo Ball underwent a cartilage transplant in his left knee.

June 2023: Expected to Miss 2023-24 Season

In June 2023, Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas stated that the team did not expect Lonzo Ball to be able to play in the 2023–24 season due to his knee injury.

2023: Continued absence due to knee injury

In 2023, Lonzo Ball missed the entire season with the Chicago Bulls due to a persistent knee injury.

January 2024: Expected to Start Running

In December 2023, Chicago head coach Billy Donovan said that Lonzo Ball was expected to start running in January 2024, in his recovery from knee surgery.

May 2024: Meniscus Transplant Revealed

In May 2024, Lonzo Ball revealed that he also received a meniscus transplant for his knee, in addition to the cartilage transplant he had previously undergone.

July 2024: Cleared for Full-Contact Scrimmages

In July 2024, Lonzo Ball was cleared to participate in full-contact five-on-five scrimmages, marking a significant step in his recovery.

January 12, 2025: First Start in Nearly Three Years

On January 12, 2025, Lonzo Ball made his first start in nearly three years, scoring 15 points and three assists in a 124–119 loss to the Sacramento Kings.