LiAngelo Ball is finally getting his wish to play for a Los Angeles basketball team — just not the one he originally intended.
Ball is heading to the Junior Basketball Association to play for the Los Angeles Ballers, the league announced Monday.
The JBA also issued a release that read, in part:
"If you thought the first round of the JBA League games were exciting, then you have seen nothing yet with round two ... After NBA teams surprisingly passed on LiAngelo Ball, he went to work out and give the teams that passed him a show. After seeing the competitiveness of the JBA and the talent level, LiAngelo made the decision to join the Los Angeles Ballers along with younger brother, LaMelo, and was present for his first practice this past Saturday."
LaVar Ball's middle child will play alongside younger brother LaMelo and make his JBA debut Thursday in Ontario, Calif.
"I just want to win for the team," LiAngelo said, via the JBA. "That's all I want to do, win. I'm trying to play ball and I'm trying to get better every day."
"It's all business. If you're not playing hard, you get sent home," LaMelo said. "They brought in Gelo while he's been working out at home. This is the JBA, you have to come and play. I love playing with my brother, we have great chemistry. It feels good to play with him again."
The Ball family held out hope LiAngelo would be drafted in the second round of this year's NBA Draft and when that didn't happen, many believed he'd eventually join the JBA.
LiAngelo, 19, was set to play for UCLA last fall before getting suspended for his involvement in a shoplifting incident while the team was in China on an exhibition tour.
LiAngelo subsequently left UCLA and played professionally in Lithuania alongside LaMelo before entering the NBA Draft in June.
