LaMelo Ball’s Most Unhinged Moments

If LaMelo Ball could pick any three people in history to wear his signature sneakers, who would he choose? Michael Jordan? Kobe Bryant? Maybe his brother Lonzo? Nope. Melo recently answered the question with arguably the most LaMelo response imaginable: Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Like most things LaMelo does, the clip immediately went viral.

RELATED: LaMelo Ball’s Car Collection Is Unmatched – Here’s What’s In His Garage

But anyone who has followed Ball for the last decade knows that this is nothing new. Long before he became an NBA All-Star, Melo was one of basketball’s first true social media era prospects. He played alongside older brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo at Chino Hills, became a national name while still in high school and once dropped 92 points as a sophomore. With outspoken father LaVar Ball turning the entire family into must-see television, LaMelo was famous well before he was old enough to drive.

His path from there was anything but conventional. Ball bypassed the traditional college route, played professionally overseas in Lithuania and later Australia, became the NBL Rookie of the Year and eventually went No. 3 overall to Charlotte in the 2020 NBA Draft. He won NBA Rookie of the Year and became an All-Star, but his personality has always been nearly as entertaining as his passes. Whether it is his interviews, his fashion or the completely ridiculous collection of customized cars we’ve documented before, Melo has never exactly blended in. Even the recent look inside his wild old Charlotte apartment felt perfectly on brand.

Now there’s a new chapter. Charlotte traded Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer, putting him in a backcourt with Anthony Edwards — who might be the only NBA superstar capable of matching Melo’s combination of talent and completely unpredictable interviews. Minnesota is betting that a change of scenery, a contender and playing next to Edwards can bring another level out of Ball. Edwards has even spoken about wanting his new teammate to become a little more professional. The basketball might mature, but hopefully the personality never does. Because from teenage Melo to Timberwolves Melo, these moments prove you never really know what is going to come out of his mouth next.

“Beat That N***a A**”

Melo was only 15 years old when the Ball family appeared on Monday Night Raw in 2017, and WWE probably learned pretty quickly why putting a live microphone near the youngest Ball brother was risky. While LaVar was mixing it up with The Mix, LaMelo repeatedly yelled, “Beat that n***a a**” on live television. WWE later apologized for the language, but the clip has lived forever on the internet.