The Los Angeles Lakers will come to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Nov. 21.
It appears the Ball family circus will return to Northeast Ohio, however, a week earlier than that.
On Tuesday, basketball's most famous family announced via SLAM Magazine that its youngest son, LaMelo Ball, will make his return to high school basketball next week -- doing so in the Buckeye State. Ball, once considered one of the top players in the 2019 recruiting class, will spend his senior season at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, with his first game coming on Nov. 13 against La Lumiere in Indiana.
Ball's path to Northeast Ohio has been an unusual one. After starring at Chino Halls High School as the No. 7 overall player in his class, the now 6-foot-7 point guard left to join his older brother, LiAngelo Ball, in Lithuania. Most recently, he's been competing in the JBA, a league founded by his father, LaVar Ball, as an alternative to the college basketball system.
“I’m excited to return to school and rejoin my class on the court for my senior year,” LaMelo, the younger brother of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, told SLAM. “Playing in international competition was a great experience. I learned and matured so much. I appreciated the JBA experience my dad provided for me. I think it helped my development. I can’t wait to play with my peers.”
According to SLAM, the 17-year-old Ball is expected to enroll at SPIRE in the coming days. Because it is a prep school rather than a traditional high school, he will be eligible to play against other top prep schools, such as Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where he will square off with the nation's No. 3 prospect, Cole Anthony in January.
It is unclear whether or not Ball, who was formerly committed to UCLA, is eligible to play at the college level following his overseas career. He will be eligible to enter the 2020 NBA Draft.
