Lonzo Ball: 'A Little Surreal' Seeing 'How Far' Brother LaMelo Has Come in NBA

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is enjoying a fantastic breakout season, and that certainly has gotten the attention of his oldest brother, Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, who praised his rise in the league.

"A little surreal just seeing how far he's come," Lonzo Ball said Friday, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.

Ball is averaging 29.5 points, 7.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game in his fifth NBA season. He's leading all Eastern Conference guards in All-Star voting and looks well on pace for All-NBA team honors as well should he meet the 65-game minimum for end-of-season awards.

On Friday, LaMelo's Hornets defeated Lonzo's Bulls, 125-123. It was the first time the two faced each other on an NBA court since Nov. 2021 with Lonzo Ball missing nearly three years due to left knee ailments and surgeries. Ball finished with 26 points and nine rebounds to lead Charlotte.

LaMelo has enjoyed great success ever since entering the league in 2020. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2020-21 and made the All-Star Game the following year.

Injuries held him to just 58 games combined over the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, but he shined when healthy, posting 23.5 points, 8.3 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Now he's fully breaking out in year five, though, as he's developed into one of the league's top young stars.