# LiAngelo Ball
**LiAngelo Ball** (full name LiAngelo Robert Ball, born 1998 in [Anaheim, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/anaheim-california)) is an American rapper and former professional basketball player, the middle son of LaVar and Tina Ball and brother of NBA players [Lonzo Ball](https://www.edgepedia.org/lonzo-ball) and [LaMelo Ball](https://www.edgepedia.org/lamelo-ball). He played briefly at UCLA and professionally in Lithuania and the NBA G League, went unselected in the 2018 NBA draft, and never appeared in an NBA regular-season game; in January 2025 he signed with Def Jam and Universal Music Group after his rap debut "Tweaker" went viral.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1998, Anaheim, California; listed 6-5, 230 lbs as a G League player[2](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1629071/) |
| High school | Chino Hills HS; 27.4 points per game as a junior on a 35-0 team that won the 2016 CIF State Open Division Championship; 33.8 points per game as a senior, including a 72-point game[3](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/uclabruins.com/documents/2017/10/15/MBKB_18MG_40_58.pdf?timestamp=20171015081759) |
| College | Enrolled at UCLA in 2017; suspended after a shoplifting arrest in China and withdrew without playing a game[4](https://time.com/5025795/ucla-players-speak-first-time-released-china/) |
| Pro basketball | Vytautas Prienai (Lithuania, 2017-18); Oklahoma City Blue (2020); Greensboro Swarm, 14th overall pick in the 2021-22 G League Draft[5](https://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-ball-signs-lithuania-20171211-story.html) • [6](https://www.nba.com/news/liangelo-ball-offered-g-league-contract-ap) • [7](https://cdn-gleague.nba.com/sites/1612709922/2022/04/33_Greensboro-Swarm-at-RAP_040222.pdf) |
| NBA draft | Entered the 2018 draft and went unselected; later signed training camp deals with the Pistons and Hornets but never secured an active regular-season roster spot[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) |
| G League production | 2021-22: 9.1 points on 62.2% shooting in 8 games; 2022-23: 5.7 points in 11 games[2](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1629071/) |
| Music | Rap debut "Tweaker" released January 3, 2025 under the name G3; Def Jam/UMG deal reported by ESPN at around $13 million with $8 million guaranteed[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) |
## High school career
Ball played at [Chino Hills High School](https://www.edgepedia.org/chino-hills-high-school) in California, alongside his older brother Lonzo during his first three years there. As a junior in 2015-16 he led the team with 27.4 points per game as Chino Hills went 35-0 and won the CIF State Open Division Championship, defeating De La Salle 70-50 in the title game; the team scored at least 100 points in 18 games that season.[3](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/uclabruins.com/documents/2017/10/15/MBKB_18MG_40_58.pdf?timestamp=20171015081759) His senior season included a 72-point performance against Rancho Christian one night after a 56-point game against Orange Lutheran, and single-game totals of 65, 60, and 52 (twice) points.[3](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/uclabruins.com/documents/2017/10/15/MBKB_18MG_40_58.pdf?timestamp=20171015081759) He committed to UCLA in April 2015.[8](https://www.espn.co.uk/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18268717/ucla-bruins-lonzo-ball-family-just-beginning-relationship)
## UCLA and the China incident
Ball started the 2017-18 college season as a UCLA freshman but never appeared in a game. Within 48 hours of the Bruins landing in Hangzhou for a season-opening trip to China, he and fellow freshmen Jalen Hill and Cody Riley were detained for shoplifting from a [Louis Vuitton](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-vuitton) store.[4](https://time.com/5025795/ucla-players-speak-first-time-released-china/) The three players apologized after returning home, and President Donald Trump publicly claimed credit for helping secure their release, a claim [LaVar Ball](https://www.edgepedia.org/lavar-ball) disputed.[4](https://time.com/5025795/ucla-players-speak-first-time-released-china/) • [9](https://time.com/5031118/donald-trump-ucla-basketball-players-lavar-ball/) UCLA suspended Ball indefinitely, and he withdrew from the school in December 2017 without having played.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7)
## Lithuania and the 2018 draft
On December 11, 2017, LiAngelo and LaMelo signed one-year contracts with the Lithuanian club Vytautas Prienai ([BC Prienai](https://www.edgepedia.org/bc-prienai)) for the rest of the season.[5](https://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-ball-signs-lithuania-20171211-story.html) • [10](https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/12/11/lamelo-liangelo-ball-lithuania-prienai-vytautas) Sources differ on his production there: ESPN reported an average of 15.7 points in nine games with Vytautas,[11](https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/22930807/ex-ucla-player-liangelo-ball-declaring-nba-draft) while the Spanish newspaper AS reported 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 21.7 minutes per game over 14 games in the 2017-18 season.[12](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/04/masdeporte/1607037266_570004.html) In May 2018, hours before declaring for the [NBA draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-draft), he scored 72 points in a Big Baller Brand Challenge game against a Chinese youth team.[11](https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/22930807/ex-ucla-player-liangelo-ball-declaring-nba-draft) He went unselected in the 2018 draft.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7)
## G League and NBA attempts
After going undrafted, Ball signed training camp deals with NBA teams, including the [Detroit Pistons](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-pistons) and the [Charlotte Hornets](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlotte-hornets), but never secured a spot on an active regular-season roster.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) He signed with the G League's Oklahoma City Blue, the affiliate of the [Oklahoma City Thunder](https://www.edgepedia.org/oklahoma-city-thunder), on March 9, 2020.[6](https://www.nba.com/news/liangelo-ball-offered-g-league-contract-ap)
He appeared on the Swarm's opening night roster for 2021-22, listed as a 6-6, 220-pound forward.[13](https://greensboro.gleague.nba.com/news/swarm-announce-opening-night-roster-and-basketball-operations-additions) Per official G League statistics, he played 8 games for Greensboro in 2021-22, averaging 9.1 points on 62.2% field-goal shooting and 53.6% three-point shooting in 13.9 minutes, and 11 games in 2022-23, averaging 5.7 points in 19.0 minutes.[2](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1629071/) The Associated Press summarized his Swarm stint as 4.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in 31 games; the official splits above cover 19 games, so the two accounts do not fully agree.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) • [2](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1629071/) He later played professionally with Astros de Jalisco in Mexico.[14](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43285541/liangelo-ball-tweaker-lonzo-ball-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers)
## Music career
**Rap debut.** On January 3, 2025, Ball released the song "Tweaker" under the rapper name G3. The track went viral with millions of social media views, drew public co-signs from [Meek Mill](https://www.edgepedia.org/meek-mill), Lil Yachty, and T-Pain, and was played in the [Cleveland Cavaliers](https://www.edgepedia.org/cleveland-cavaliers)' locker room after a win over Dallas.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) • [14](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43285541/liangelo-ball-tweaker-lonzo-ball-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers) On January 13, 2025, he signed with Def Jam and [Universal Music Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/universal-music-group); ESPN reported the deal at around $13 million with $8 million guaranteed, including full ownership of his music and record label.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) The momentum earned him a performance slot at Rolling Loud California in March 2025, and he performed at the 2025 ESPYs, introduced by his brother Lonzo.[1](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7) • [15](https://clutchpoints.com/tag/LiAngelo-Ball) In August 2025 he said his move to rap was money-motivated, describing G League pay of about $3,000 a month as inadequate.[16](https://www.tmz.com/people/liangelo-ball/)
## References
1. [LiAngelo Ball signs music deal with Def Jam following popularity of hit song 'Tweaker', Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/be726dba5ae3638bf21c05f5c366caf7)
2. [NBA G League Stats: LiAngelo Ball](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1629071/)
3. [UCLA Bruins 2017-18 Men's Basketball Media Guide, player profile](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/uclabruins.com/documents/2017/10/15/MBKB_18MG_40_58.pdf?timestamp=20171015081759)
4. [UCLA Players Apologize for Shoplifting in China, Time](https://time.com/5025795/ucla-players-speak-first-time-released-china/)
5. [LiAngelo Ball, LaMelo Ball sign with Lithuanian basketball team, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-ball-signs-lithuania-20171211-story.html)
6. [LiAngelo Ball gets G League contract, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/liangelo-ball-offered-g-league-contract-ap)
7. [Greensboro Swarm 2021-22 game notes](https://cdn-gleague.nba.com/sites/1612709922/2022/04/33_Greensboro-Swarm-at-RAP_040222.pdf)
8. [Lonzo is just the beginning of the Ball-UCLA pipeline, ESPN](https://www.espn.co.uk/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18268717/ucla-bruins-lonzo-ball-family-just-beginning-relationship)
9. [President Trump Tweets That He Should Have Left UCLA Basketball Players in Jail, Time](https://time.com/5031118/donald-trump-ucla-basketball-players-lavar-ball/)
10. [LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball Sign With Lithuanian Club, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/12/11/lamelo-liangelo-ball-lithuania-prienai-vytautas)
11. [LiAngelo Ball decides to enter NBA draft, ESPN](https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/22930807/ex-ucla-player-liangelo-ball-declaring-nba-draft)
12. [¿Quién es Liangelo, el tercero de los hermanos Ball en llegar a la NBA?, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/04/masdeporte/1607037266_570004.html)
13. [Swarm Announce Opening Night Roster, Greensboro Swarm](https://greensboro.gleague.nba.com/news/swarm-announce-opening-night-roster-and-basketball-operations-additions)
14. [LiAngelo Ball's new song 'Tweaker' circulates around the league, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43285541/liangelo-ball-tweaker-lonzo-ball-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers)
15. [Latest LiAngelo Ball News, ClutchPoints](https://clutchpoints.com/tag/LiAngelo-Ball)
16. [LiAngelo Ball, TMZ](https://www.tmz.com/people/liangelo-ball/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › International league players › European league players and coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license