Photo Cred: Atiba Jefferson
By Fredo Cervantes
Over the last year, LaMelo Ball has become one of the most dominant players in the world at age 17. After playing for Chino Hills, Lithuania and the JBA League, LaMelo decided to go back to high school to finish his senior year at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH led by head coach Jermaine Jackson Sr, A former NBA player who grew up in Detroit, Michigan.
Jermaine graduated from Finney High School in 1995. He attended the University of Detroit Mercy from 1995-1999. Jackson played for the Detroit Pistons in 1999 then later moved around the league with the Raptors, Hawks, Knicks and more. He also played professionally in the CBA and in Europe, as he finished his playing career in 2012. Jackson was known around the league as a competitor, great leader and mentor to others while in the NBA. In 2007 while Jackson was a member of the Seattle Supersonics, Seattle went on to draft Kevin Durant as the #2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. When Kevin Durant arrived, he was only 17 years of age, just like Ball is now. When entering the league, Durant said Jackson was one of the guys he can look up to in the league because he was a natural leader on and off the court, which is something that Jackson is teaching Ball now.
When I interviewed Jackson on Sunday, following Ball’s win with the No Shnacks at The Drew League in Los Angeles, we discussed how Ball has matured throughout the year. A lot of the credit is due to Jermaine Jackson’s experience in being an NBA player and now being able to teach Ball those same experiences he went through in his journey in the NBA. Once he finishes his season at The Drew League this summer, Ball will be preparing for his debut at the NBL in early October. Jackson will be traveling with ball as he has been hired as LaMelo Ball’s Manager/Trainer. Jackson will no longer be coaching at SPIRE Institute in Ohio, as he is working with Ball every single day, getting better at the little things.
Ball has a tremendous feel for the game as he has a very high basketball IQ, which is rare for a kid his age, let alone his older brother, Lonzo, who is now entering his 3rd season in the NBA has gotten the acknowledgement from his peers of how smart of a player he truly is, which is something that runs in the family. LaMelo has also been able to learn from Lonzo’s experience from his first two seasons in the NBA – the pressure that comes to being the top pick in the NBA, to having all eyes on him. Ball is a talented basketball player which he makes things look so easy while he’s on the court. When you look at both of his older brothers, you see a little of Lonzo and LiAngelo’s game in LaMelo’s game.
As I watched LaMelo’s development over the past years and seeing a close up look of it since we get a chance to see it on the hit show “Ball In The Family’ which you could watch on Facebook anytime and follow the Ball Family on this amazing journey. New episodes premiere Aug 18th only on Facebook Watch!
https://www.facebook.com/ballinthefamily/
One of the biggest things that had been catching everyone’s attention about LaMelo Ball is his maturity. His character on and off the court has really developed over the past year. Ball has been committed to improving everyday in all ways possible in order to make it to the NBA and get a chance to play with his brothers in the league. Lonzo, now a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, LiAngelo, who recently had ankle surgery, has been seen back in action, shooting in the gym, getting ready for one of the greatest comebacks for any player to make it to the NBA.
LaMelo is a role model to a lot of kids throughout the world, he’s been playing basketball worldwide since the age of 16. Ball has so many fans all over the world and as we called it over at The Drew League, “The Melo Effect” which every game that Ball is scheduled to play, fans come out to watch the next phenom dominate The Drew League. There’s hundreds of fans being turned away from watching Ball in action every weekend.
Can LaMelo Ball be the future of the NBA?
Yes, there’s going to be a lot of great young talent entering the league but nothing like the player that LaMelo Ball has become. I mean, no disrespect to those young upcoming players when I say this, LaMelo is Box Office and is must watch in whichever town he’s in. Whichever team gets the opportunity to draft Ball in next years draft, that arena will be sold out every game of the season.
Ball can really shoot from anywhere on the court, take you off the dribble and put you on a poster and maybe he can sign the poster for you if you like, who knows. He’s a great rebounder and can certainly pass the ball and get his teammates involved, not many players could do all that at a high level.
As we Continue on this journey with LaMelo Ball, you are witnessing one of the greatest players in the making.
