History of Lonzo Ball in Timeline

Lonzo Ball is an American professional basketball player currently with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. He is a point guard known for his passing ability and playmaking. After a single season playing college basketball at UCLA, where he earned All-American honors, Ball was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018. Ball has had a career marked by flashes of brilliance but has also been hampered by injuries.

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Full Timeline

1992: NCAA Division 1 Record

In 1992-93, Lonzo became the first NCAA Division I player since then to make at least 70 percent from the 2-point range and 40 percent from the 3-point range.

1993: Comparison to Jason Kidd

In the 1993-94 season, Jason Kidd achieved a similar record to what Lonzo Ball reached in college.

October 27, 1997: Lonzo Ball's birth

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

1997: Ahlon Lewis Assist Record

In 1997-98 Ahlon Lewis set the record for most assists in a Pac-12 season with 294.

1999: Steve Francis' Rebound Record

In 1999-2000 Steve Francis recorded 17 rebounds as an NBA rookie guard, setting a record until Lonzo Ball's performance.

2000: Steve Francis' Rebound Record

In 1999-2000 Steve Francis recorded 17 rebounds as an NBA rookie guard, setting a record until Lonzo Ball's performance.

2008: NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

During the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Lonzo Ball was named the league MVP and had the first triple-double since 2008.

2014: High School Junior Year

In 2014, as a junior at Chino Hills High School, Lonzo Ball averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 5 blocks, and 5 steals.

November 2015: Signed Letter of Intent to UCLA

In November 2015, Lonzo Ball signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UCLA.

2015: Lakers Drafted D'Angelo Russell

In 2015, the Lakers drafted D'Angelo Russell as the No. 2 pick.

2016: Rated as 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 started as a freshman at UCLA, and was named to the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award.

2016: High School Player of the Year

In 2016, as a senior at Chino Hills High School, Lonzo Ball received multiple national high school player of the year awards and led his team to a 35-0 record and a national top ranking.

February 4, 2017: Game Against Washington Huskies

On February 4, 2017, Lonzo Ball scored 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in a game against Markelle Fultz and the Washington Huskies.

February 2017: Mother's Stroke

In February 2017, Lonzo Ball's mother, Tina, suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for two months.

May 2017: ZO2 Shoe Release

In May 2017, Big Baller Brand announced the release of Lonzo Ball's first shoe, the ZO2. The $495 price tag on the shoe sparked wide criticism.

September 2017: Releases first rap single

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 Against Phoenix Suns

On October 20, 2017, Lonzo Ball scored a then career-high 29 points against the Phoenix Suns.

December 20, 2017: Logo for the 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. The logo of the JBA is an outline of Ball.

2017: Drafted by the Lakers

In 2017, Lonzo Ball was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the second overall pick.

2017: NBA Draft

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

January 13, 2018: MCL Sprain

On January 13, 2018, Lonzo Ball sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee against the Dallas Mavericks.

February 15, 2018: Lip Sync Battle and Debut Album Release

On February 15, 2018, Lonzo Ball and his father participated in the Lip Sync Battle as competitors. That same day, Ball released his debut album, Born 2 Ball, under the name Zo, released under 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: Knee 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 Injury

On January 19, 2019, Lonzo Ball suffered a Grade 3 left ankle sprain, including a torn ligament, after colliding with James Ennis III of the Houston Rockets. He left the game with 11 assists in 22 minutes with the Lakers leading by 18 points, but the Lakers lost in overtime 138–134.

March 2019: Cut Ties with Alan Foster and BBB

In March 2019, Lonzo Ball cut ties with BBB's manager and co-founder Alan Foster, accusing him of enriching himself through Ball's business and personal finances, with $1.5 million of his money missing. He also stripped references to BBB from his social media pages and covered up his BBB tattoo.

July 6, 2019: Trade to New Orleans Pelicans

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

December 2019: Consistent Performance

From December 2019 to March 2020, in a 45-game span, Lonzo Ball averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 39.2% from three.

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.

March 2020: Consistent Performance

From December 2019 to March 2020, in a 45-game span, Lonzo Ball averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 39.2% from three.

2020: New Shooting Form Emerges

Heading into the 2020–21 NBA season, videos of Lonzo Ball's new shooting form emerged. He has been shooting in a more conventional form, with the ball squared up to his forehead and averaged a then career-high 37.5% shooting from three in his first season with the Pelicans.

2020: New Role and Health

Heading into the 2020–21 season, Lonzo Ball was at his healthiest. New Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy placed him in a 3-and-D role, which he had never played before.

2020: Competed on The Masked Singer

In 2020, Lonzo Ball competed on the fourth season of The Masked Singer as "Whatchamacallit". He was eliminated on Week 8.

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January 29, 2021: Season-High 27 Points

On January 29, 2021, Lonzo Ball matched his then career-high seven three-pointers, and scored 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, while Ball signed a four-year, $85 million contract extension with the Bulls.

January 14, 2022: Last Game Before Injury

On January 14, 2022, Lonzo Ball played for the last time before his knee injury sidelined him for an extended period. He would not play again until October 16, 2024.

January 20, 2022: Knee Surgery Announcement

On January 20, 2022, after missing three games with a meniscus tear, the Bulls announced that Lonzo Ball would undergo surgery on his left knee and miss six to eight weeks.

2022: Arthroscopic Debridement

Ahead of the 2022–23 season, Lonzo Ball underwent arthroscopic debridement, a surgical treatment that extracts any loose material that may be in the knee joint and can smooth the surfaces inside the knee.

2022: Knee Injury Sidelines Lonzo Ball

In 2022, Lonzo Ball was sidelined for the majority of his tenure with the Chicago Bulls due to a persistent knee injury.

February 21, 2023: Season-Ending Injury Announcement

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

March 16, 2023: Cartilage Transplant

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

June 2023: Doubtful Return

In June 2023, Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas said that the team does not expect Lonzo Ball to be able to play in the 2023–24 season.

2023: Continued Absence Due to Injury

In 2023, Lonzo Ball continued to be sidelined for the entirety of the season due to a persistent knee injury.

January 2024: Expected to Start Running

In December, Chicago head coach Billy Donovan said that Lonzo Ball was expected to start running in January 2024.

May 2024: Meniscus Transplant

In May 2024, Lonzo Ball revealed that he also received a meniscus transplant for his knee.

July 2024: Cleared for Full-Contact Scrimmages

In July 2024, Lonzo Ball was cleared to participate in full-contact five-on-five scrimmages.

2024: Trade to the Cavaliers

After the 2024 season, Lonzo Ball was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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.