Lonzo vs. LaMelo. Who is the better Ball brother?

It is a little unfair to compare an already established NBA player to someone who just got into the league. However, if it is the younger brother of the player we compare it to, things become a lot more interesting. In this case, if the pair happens to be Lonzo and LaMelo Ball the comparison becomes even more interesting. 

Lonzo was picked second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. There was a lot of excitement around Lonzo, mainly due to his father, Lavar Ball, hyping him around on national TV now and then.

However, the hype quickly died after fans and the Lakers’ front staff saw how underdeveloped Lonzo was. Though a good defender, Lonzo had a crooked shooting form when he came into the league with a very unreliable jump shot from beyond the arc. Listed at 6’6, Lonzo was supposed to be the next pass first true point guard in the league. But due to a still-developing Lakers team around him in Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram (who now are the stars of their new teams), he was traded away soon after.

On the other hand, LaMelo Ball’s story in the NBA has been quite different so far. See, if the Lakers are spending their highest overall draft since Kwame Brown, they need instant results and outcomes. That has always been the motto in the Lakers franchise. Win now! And that did put a lot of pressure on Lonzo, who under the right coaching and staff could’ve developed into a hell of a player for the Lakers instead of the New Orleans Pelicans now.

Onto LaMelo, who is also listed at 6’6, has a much larger wingspan than his brother Lonzo. From the get-go, you could see that Lamelo is more of an offensive-minded player, whereas Lonzo came in as a defensive force.

Listed at 6’8, Lamelo shares almost that same shooting form that Lonzo had. However, LaMelo Ball has a range. We knew he could score with his lean physique and quick first step, but not only can he knock down the occasional mid-range, but he can also quickly drain it from the three, even with an adequate defense on top of him.

Another factor that plays a role, as previously mentioned, is the team drafting the player. The Lakers needed a star right out of college, whereas the Charlotte Hornets slowly put the pieces together to create a formidable franchise from the ground up. And by the looks of it, Lamelo fits in very well.

So to sum it up, Lonzo has displayed flashes of great basketball now and then, but what Lamelo has been able to every night is nothing short of impressive. If he keeps this up, Lamelo is going to be a star in the league someday.

And as I said at the start, this is going to be an interesting comparison. Though Lonzo has majorly worked to fix his jump shot, he finally settles nicely into the Pelicans program. However, if you compare Lamelo to the rookie year Lonzo had, LaMelo surpasses his elder brother in almost every aspect, with flying colors. Lonzo, along with his defense, was known for his passing ability. Still, Lamelo is the better ball facilitator, ball handler, better scorer, and better rebounder.

Hence I believe it is safe to say that LaMelo has the better game when talking about the Ball brothers.