LiAngelo Ball Tried to 'Destroy' Team.css-3hcdeq{margin:0;font-size:1.2rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.44rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__tertiary-mainChannel);}Kyle NewportAug 24 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:inherit;}.css-v4v4rs{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:inherit;}@media (min-width:0px){.css-v4v4rs{display:block;}}@media (min-width:1100px){.css-v4v4rs{display:none;}}.css-mps3fk{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 and now head coach Virginijus Seskus is sounding off LiAngelo and LaMelo on blast in a statement addressing their season together "And the most disappointing fact was that they had no inner drive to become better not paying out prize money to the Big Baller Brand tournament winners while LaMelo was pulled from his Chino Hills squad LaVar's Big Baller Brand supported the team and even created showcase games—as in Gelo and Melo had some eye-popping numbers during the BBB showcase including a 72-piece from the middle Ball brother: .css-az13ih{width:100%;aspect-ratio:3/2;border:none;}For the season They left the team two games before the season concluded LaVar, who even made his way to the sidelines to do some coaching during the season was critical of Seskus when he opted not to start Melo and Gelo saying that he was not going to be the coach's "buddy" anymore: playBall brothers combine to score 29 in pro debut (0:59)LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball finish with 19 and 10 points in their professional basketball debut in Lithuania Lithuania -- In a packed gym of about 1,500 people in the tiny Lithuanian town of Prienai the Ball brothers -- LiAngelo and LaMelo -- combined to score 29 points in their professional basketball debut With parents LaVar and Tina Ball sitting courtside finished with 10 and had several no-look assists to lead Prienai Vytautas to a 90-80 victory over Zalgiris' second team a low-budget team that withdrew from the Baltic league days after the brothers joined the team announced it would form the Big Baller Brand Challenge Vytautas normally plays in both the Lithuanian and Baltic leagues with the Baltic featuring lower-level competition that also involves teams from Estonia and Latvia Zalgiris' second-division team featured the top under-18 players from the elite program in Lithuania While LiAngelo acknowledged that he "wasn't expecting [the game] to be so physical," LaMelo said he didn't think there was a big difference from American basketball Tuesday night's game was broadcast live on Facebook and had more than 120,000 viewers at times LaMelo Ball scored 10 points in his professional debut for Prienai Vytautas wowing the Lithuanian crowd at times with several no-look passes He finished with nine assists. Liusjenas Kulbis/AP Photo"As long as we [are] winning and playing like this LiAngelo started and struggled with his shot in the first half He was far more efficient coming off the bench in the second half while playing much of the time with his 16-year-old brother on the floor LaMelo came off the bench in the first half and didn't waste any time before misfiring on a 3-pointer from NBA range and getting a few assists just seconds after checking in with 4:30 left in the third quarter he drove the left baseline and wound up making an acrobatic basket on a reverse layup He finished 4-for-10 from the field with nine assists and six turnovers The team's next game is Saturday night in a Lithuanian league contest at Lietkabelis but it's unclear how much playing time the Ball brothers will receive since the game counts in the standings Lithuania (AP) — The brothers of Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball landed in rainy Lithuania on Wednesday night to start their career at a local basketball club The 19-year-old LiAngelo and his younger brother LaMelo signed professional one-year contracts with BC Prienai last month "It's surely no California and it's cold but I think we will like it here," LeMelo told reporters as they walked through the crowd towards the "Party Bus," which was to take them to Prienai — around 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of Vilnius The brothers arrived with their father LaVar Ball an American media personality and businessman LiAngelo and LaMelo are expected to make their debut on Jan when BC Prienai hosts Tsmoki-Minsk in a Baltic league game Most tickets for that night at the 1,200-seat arena have already been sold which was the only team in the league without foreign players finished sixth in the Lithuanian league last year the game is often dubbed the "second religion" and attracts huge crowds to arenas even at small towns There have been several Lithuania players in NBA teams including Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis and Zydrunas "Big Z" Ilgauskas at Cleveland Cavaliers The national team has claimed numerous titles including winning the FIBA EuroBasket three times and has three Olympic bronze medals It's safe to say Lithuanian basketball club BC Prienai is happy to have the Ball family off its hands on blast Thursday in a press release titled "BC Prienai-Skycop: Big Baller Brand tried to destroy the club." Prienai describes its time with the Ball brothers as a "rollercoaster ride" and expresses regret about letting LaVar think he was in charge Here's an excerpt, courtesy of Stadium's Jeff Goodman: As head coach Virginijus Seskus explained in his interview the club and its goals was merely a joke to the BBB who were there only to breathe life into their dying TV show "The first and most crucial mistake we made was allowing them think that they are in charge of the club - its decisions His boys were nowhere near the level of the LKL And the most disappointing fact was that they had no inner drive to become better After leaving the club without any prior notice and by taking back their financial support including shooting machines that were presented as gifts to the club BBB has left Prienai without sponsorship and base for future planning and it did the job - the club survived and that is the most important fact but now we look to the big picture and future We will give priority to professionals with great discipline and personalities," says Seskus LiAngelo and LaMelo left Prienai in April with two games remaining in the team's season. LaVar later said he and Seskus "just didn't get along" and that the coach "ruined everything." By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Though LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball have yet to make their official debut for Lithuanian basketball team Vytautas Prienai, their official jerseys will soon be available to purchase exclusively over at Amazon According to Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports the Lithuanian team has already shipped approximately 500 game jerseys and is expected to ship more to deliver late in the first week of January So far other details regarding how much the jerseys will cost have not surfaced ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonthan Givony reported earlier Monday that the Balls were “in serious discussions” to sign with the club but the team would decide whether to move forward with the deal in the next 24 to 48 hours pulled them from their respective schools earlier this year—first removing LaMelo from Chino Hills High School before the start of his junior basketball season then withdrawing LiAngelo from UCLA before the freshman even appeared in a game (LiAngelo and two teammates had been suspended indefinitely after sparking an international incident by shoplifting in China.) It's not about the money for the Ball Brothers. They have a passion to play Basketball and to experience playing as pros was the Goal. They have accomplished this mission and are excited to be playing on the same team to top it off. The Big Baller way! pic.twitter.com/QOu6QCtMdf The pair then signed with their older brother Lonzo’s agent, Harrison Gaines and began weighing their international options The brothers are unlikely to see much action in the domestic league “but could be afforded an opportunity to develop” in Baltic League play, Givony reports Prienai—also called Vytautas after the mineral water company that sponsors the team—is one of 10 clubs in the Lithuanian league, playing its home games at a gym with 1,500 seats The town of Prienai has fewer than 10,000 residents LaMelo, the youngest of the three Ball brothers, is considered a far better pro prospect than LiAngelo and will have to play three seasons overseas before he is eligible for the NBA draft. (LiAngelo is not considered an NBA caliber player.) The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball have signed professional basketball contracts with the Lithuanian club Prienu Vytautas, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news comes after LiAngelo Ball opted not to return to UCLA as a student or an athlete where he was suspended indefinitely after being charged with shoplifting while overseas in China so LaVar Ball believed that LiAngelo’s extended suspension wasn’t fair LaMelo Ball’s college eligibility was already in question after his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was released earlier this year but him and his brothers officially burned those bridges when they hired an agent last week So Prienu Vytautas, huh? The Lithuanian club founded in 1994 is hardly a household name, but most European teams aren’t. They currently play in the Lithuanian Basketball League The Ball’s to Lithuania is a disaster waiting to happen (I played there for a year and hated it). This is a picture of the teams gym that the Ball brothers would play at. Not exactly BIG BALLER material #BBB pic.twitter.com/STkQ57YRS5 The program may not be as desperate as initial reports made it out to be From ESPN: "The team has no GM and doesn't practice regularly due to the poor financial situation."That is not correct Might not always run the hard-nosed two-a-day usual for European hoops but 'doesn't practice regularly' & 'due to poor financial situation' is tall tales The team reportedly never operated with a lot of money the only American employed by the club spent only a month with them Prienu Vytautas has only had one American player on their roster in the past decade The Balls would likely be faced with a major culture shock in Prienai Same coach there is the one who told me during training camp (through translator) he wouldn’t play me much my rookie year at Rytas because he didn’t speak English Prienu Vytautas is coached by 50-year-old Virginijus Seskus high-energy yeller from the sidelines who reminds some pundits of LaVar Ball himself who is considering signing LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball has been described to me as "the LaVar Ball of Lithuania" it is not expected that the Balls will receive major playing time and would have come off the bench for a Division-I school in UCLA this season The Lithuanian league might not be the most talented one but it is still made up of significantly older professionals it would be expected that the Ball brothers would struggle It sounds like the Balls might play in the Baltic League (BBL) for Prienu Vytautas which is essentially a minor league for the team The Ball brothers are not expected to see major playing time for Prienu Vytautas in the Lithuanian (LKL) league, but could be afforded an opportunity to develop in the Baltic (BBL) League, where the stakes are much lower. The club must decide whether to pull the trigger first. https://t.co/XIihTVnZMD Players in the BBL also don’t make much money. Players at that level max out at $500 per month, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony Prienu Vytautas players are likely making several thousand Euros per month during the season.) This doesn’t seem like a great situation for them LiAngelo Ball is a non-prospect who should be playing at a mid-major while LaMelo Ball needs more traditional development than sparse minutes against professionals who are 10 years older than him Maybe the harsher environment will reign him in and force him to develop his playmaking skills if the Balls flame out and are headed back to the states in just a few months combining to score 108 points in .css-14rpnn4{margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:2.6rem;white-space:normal;word-break:break-word;}Prienu Vytautas' 159-115 win over Guangdong On the same day his agent, Harrison Gaines, told Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports he declared for the 2018 NBA draft, LiAngelo had a double-double with 72 points and 11 rebounds. LaMelo chipped in to help his brother with 36 points and six rebounds.  LaVar Ball offered words of inspiration and encouragement to the team in the locker room (warning: contains explicit language): Even though Prienu Vytautas wasn't able to average 50 points per quarter or beat Guangdong by 70 it's hard for the Ball family patriarch to complain about a lot after his sons had two of the best performances of their young careers creator of Comedy Central's Legends of Chamberlain Heights posted a GIF of LaVar's possible celebration after LiAngelo's big day: the Ball brothers worked together to ensure Vytautas would earn the victory: Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas noted the final Big Baller Brand exhibition game will likely take place on April 2 in London Charania noted LiAngelo is expected to take part in the Professional Basketball Combine at Florida's IMG Academy in May The Big Baller Brand Challenge features teams from lower divisions and youth competition so what LiAngelo and LaMelo did against Guangdong's youth team doesn't necessarily represent an evolutionary leap forward for either player With all eyes on LiAngelo as he tries to make it into the NBA this was a strong starting point for him to showcase the talent that could end up getting him a job with a team before the start of next season .css-v4v4rs{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 won't play games in the Baltic League in order to participate in the Big Baller Brand Challenge Prienai Vytautas will use the five-game Big Baller Brand Challenge exhibition to get LiAngelo and LaMelo "extensive playing time." with the Baltic league considered to be a lower level of competition Per freelance writer Simonas Baranauskas a total of six teams will compete in the Big Baller Brand Challenge including rival Dzukija and reserve teams from Zalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas Prienai Vytautas' first game in the Big Baller Brand Challenge will take place on Jan Two of Ball's three basketball-playing sons, LiAngelo and LaMelo, play for Vytautas. The matchup with Dzukija is the fourth of five friendly games as part of the BBB series. Vytautas is 3-0 with victories over the BC Zalgiris Kaunas reserve team, the BC Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius reserve team and BC Vytis Zanavykas Sakiai. an AAU team in the United States featuring LaMelo .css-az13ih{width:100%;aspect-ratio:3/2;border:none;}LaVar has stated multiple times in recent months the ultimate goal is for LiAngelo and LaMelo to join Lonzo Ball on the Los Angeles Lakers "And we get three of the Ball boys on the Lakers together, and we gonna go championship, championship, championship, championship, championship," he told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com in June You saw what they did in high school." It's unclear whether his time on the Vytautas staff will extend beyond Tuesday's contest LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball played starring roles in the win, combining to score 80 points. LaMelo finished with 43, and LiAngelo chipped in with 37. LiAngelo also earned a double-double by collecting 10 rebounds. The bulk of LaMelo's scoring came in the third quarter, when he hit five three-pointers in a row and scored 23 points over the 10-minute period. Overtime shared a replay of the 16-year-old finishing off a fast break with a two-handed dunk: Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball: Tuesday's clash largely mirrored an NBA All-Star Game as neither team showed much interest in playing defense That allowed LaMelo and LiAngelo to shine on the offensive end but even the team's commentators couldn't help but harp on their poor defending (h/t Sports Illustrated's Kenny Ducey): Both Ball brothers essentially had a green light to shoot whenever they had an opportunity which wasn't a surprise given how the coaching staff was comprised for the game Vytautas had a new coach on the sideline as LaVar Ball ditched his typical Big Baller Brand gear for a suit and tie to serve as an assistant for his sons' team Sports Illustrated shared a brief peek into LaVar's coaching insight: Vytautas said the team's game plan would rest largely on Ball's preference and that was evident through the first half of the game Vytautas had 67 points but trailed three points at halftime The Ball brothers combined to score 35 first-half points The 70 points were the most Vytautas had surrendered in the first half at the Big Baller Brand Challenge and the 137 combined first-half points were the highest through four games of the event as well The Big Baller Brand Challenge wraps up Sunday when BC Jonava head to the Prienai Arena.  Vytautas' next game in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) comes Saturday against BC Juventus. They'll look to snap seven-game losing streak in their domestic league, and the team is 0-2 in the LKL with the Ball brothers in the lineup. The 19-year-old LiAngelo and his younger brother LaMelo, who is 16, signed professional one-year contracts with BC Prienai last month. “It’s surely no California and it’s cold, but I think we will like it here,” LeMelo told reporters as they walked through the crowd toward the “Party Bus,” which was to take them to Prienai — about 68 miles south of Vilnius, the capital. The brothers arrived with their father LaVar Ball, creator of Big Baller Brand. LiAngelo and LaMelo are expected to make their debut on Jan. 9, when BC Prienai hosts Tsmoki-Minsk in a Baltic league game. Most tickets for that night at the 1,200-seat arena have already been sold, according to the box office. BC Prienai, which was the only team in the league without foreign players, finished sixth in the Lithuanian league last year. In basketball-crazy Lithuania, the game is often dubbed the “second religion” and attracts huge crowds to arenas even in small towns. There have been several Lithuanian players on NBA teams, including Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis and Zydrunas “Big Z” Ilgauskas of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The national team has claimed numerous titles including winning the FIBA EuroBasket three times and has three Olympic bronze medals. Galaxy High School Sports Dodgers Sports Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker LaVar Ball worked his way even further into the Lithuanian basketball scene serving as a coach for his sons' team Vytautas Prienai in their game Tuesday "He will be an assistant coach on game protocol but will drive the team through the game and make many of the decisions," a team spokesman told ESPN ahead of the game "The style the team is going to play is going to be LaVar's choice." The result was a run-and-gun affair that saw both Vytautas Prienai and their opponents BC Dzukija clear 67 points before halftime which commentators went on to note was absurdly high compared to LKL games and had him out of his infamous BBB gear for the first time since his viral star has risen Broadcasters during the game claimed that LaVar Ball hadn't brought a suit with him to Lithuania and bought his suit that day just for the occasion head coach Virginijus Seskus seemed amiable "He also has an idea for a new way for the team to play defense but this will only be for the friendly match While Vytautas Prienai is undefeated thus far in the Big Baller Brand Challenge Games the team is struggling in their actual professional league Maybe LaVar is just the coaching spark they need to get their team back into playing shape but LiAngelo Ball came up huge as Vytautas earned a 97-95 victory over Siauliai on Sunday Vytautas entered the game with nine straight losses in league play and coach Virginijus Seskus under fire from LaVar Ball—especially after last week's decision to start new signee Rashaun Broadus The two brothers started for the first time together in their professional careers and had wildly disparate performances LaMelo struggled mightily and was scoreless Failing with his shot and playing lackadaisical defense LaMelo's only positive impact against Siauliai was a first-half assist Seskus sat the 16-year-old guard the entire second half finished with 13 points in a solid outing—including a big fourth quarter that helped keep Vytautas in the game He knocked down a pair of threes in the period and had a steal and offensive rebound in crunch time The defensive effort and hustle on the boards were particularly pleasant surprises as the Ball brothers seemed to have little interest in anything outside scoring the basketball in BBB exhibition contests LiAngelo has proved himself as the more effective player in the better competition of LKL games That's in part because he's 19 years old and more developed than his brother but he also may be a little better than advertised Six Vytautas players landed in double figures The team was consistently successful inside the three-point arc (24-of-37 64.9 percent) and somehow maintained a lead despite being dominated on the glass (45-30) Siauliai shot only 45.3 percent from the field but stayed close throughout the second half by pounding the offensive boards and getting second-chance points Vytautas has a break from league play until a March 3 matchup against Lietuvos Rytas LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday as they prepare to launch their professional basketball careers Their team wasted no time to cash in on the Ball brothers' arrival Last week, we learned that their club team, Vytautas Prienai, planned to sell around 500 LiAngelo and LaMelo game jerseys on Amazon some time in January That time ended up being the brothers' first full day in Lithuania The jerseys launched on Amazon Thursday The list price of $99 rivals what Nike charges for its NBA jerseys were all business on Thursday and hit the gym Luka Dončić stared down the Mavericks bench after draining a deep Lakers 3-pointer The Lakers gave Anthony Davis a classy tribute in his return to Los Angeles with the Mavericks Jordan Brand revs up Luka Doncic's game against Mavericks with a ruthless message as Tomas Dimsa ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be forced to miss the remainder of the season PRIENAI (FIBA Europe Cup) - Vytatutas Prienai-Birstonas were handed a significant blow, as Tomas Dimsa ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be forced to miss the remainder of the season who won the FIBA Europe Cup with Fraport Skyliners last season had finally blossomed under coach Virginijus Seskus as an impactful two-way player 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in the competition when his solid campaign was cut short by a season-ending injury sustained in a non-contact situation during practice "This season is already over for me. Although I will be able to resume light activities like jogging in May, it won’t be until the season ends that I’m back to full fitness," Dimsa told Lithuanian website BasketNews.lt The completely torn Achilles tendon just adds to the player’s lengthy injury history in the past couple of seasons the situation has been frustrating for Dimsa I went to Germany last year and everything was great until the injury I got over the slow start this year and was playing well but another injury got in the way," the player said after undergoing surgery to repair the damage Having been left without a key contributor coach Seskus revealed the club will explore the market for a replacement but is in no rush to make any major moves immediately Vytautas is enjoying a strong season both internationally and in the Lithuanian championship where they currently occupy fourth place with a solid 10-8 record After winning their Regular Season group in the FIBA Europe Cup the Prienai-Birstonas side are very much in play for a ticket to the Round of 16 after a strong start to the Second Round With three more games remaining, the Lithuanians are second in Group M with a 2-1 record, having only lost to group leaders Telekom Baskets on the road in Bonn Big Baller Brand announced LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball will start their professional basketball careers in Lithuania on Jan January 9th, the international Ball show begins ⛹🏽‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/9kawtfmECZ — Big Baller Brand (@bigballerbrand) January 5, 2018 Melo and Gelo -- who was detained in China for shoplifting with two other UCLA student-athletes -- will suit up for BC Vytautas a team that desperately needed a boost in revenue.  just based on the reception in the airport it seems like funds should no longer be a problem.  Insane. Ball family came to Lithuania, Absolute chaos in Vilnius airport pic.twitter.com/vZALO33BSw — Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) January 3, 2018 The team raised ticket prices from 3 to 8 euros and expect to sell out their 1,200 seat area they would only average 530 spectators.  Vytautas reportedly has problems with debt every season to the point where some former players are not yet fully paid it's common knowledge that Prienai players salaries might be late and the maximum for any player in this league is $500 per month.  Vytautas is one of the strangest destinations for Ball bros ever. They have problems with debts every season. Some of the former players wasn't fully paid yet. Most of the players who go to Prienai know that their salaries might be late. https://t.co/zqzK8abrD7 — Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) December 11, 2017 Prienai experienced a rash of injuries due to an improper training staff who is notoriously bad at dealing with foreign players.  Insight from an American guard into the potential first pro coach for LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball. https://t.co/O7ym19h8xM — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 11, 2017 Seskus says he is "intensively learning English" but apparently not the kind of English Lavar Ball speaks.  Seskus said Lavar doesn't try to interrupt his job and "even if he did it seems plenty of distractions are already getting in the way.  One reporter already asked Gelo on a date at a press conference they rode in a party bus that featured a strobe light and a dance pole their team removed themselves from the Baltic basketball league they play in and will now only play exhibition games.  BC Vytautas will play exhibition games for Ball brothers and excluded themselves from Baltic Basketball league I wonder what Vytautas players think about this — Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) January 6, 2018 That and the rest of the sidebar antics haven't sat well with the rest of the team.  What can I tell," Vytauras guard Tomas Dimsa said "You're practicing surrounded by 100 cameras but now we have to answer all these questions." The Balls scheduled Lithuanian games are on the 9th first and second division Lithuanian teams Every game will be available to watch in the U.S Report a typo Florida) in the Emerald Coast 16 basketball tournament in Niceville West Oaks gave .css-14rpnn4{margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:2.6rem;white-space:normal;word-break:break-word;}Spire a challenge as it hung around for most of the night, but the trio of Ball, Watts and Isaiah Jackson proved to be too much. .css-1xiyrl{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;aspect-ratio:unset;}He also had a putback dunk to assist Spire's offensive efforts: Overtime provided a package of Ball's Friday highlights: Spire's season-long streak of scoring 80 or more points continued Spire, which improved to 12-0, has the rest of the holiday season off before returning to the court Friday, January 4, in the Mustang Madness tournament in Paducah, Kentucky. REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Social media and traditional media were lighting up with the news that the two younger Ball brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo had signed one-year contracts to play with Lithuanian club Prienai Vytautas it's easy to see that there are quite a few winners in it here are some of the details for those who have not been keeping up with the Ball family saga Father LaVar Ball pulled his youngest son LaMelo - born in 2001 - out of high school last month and also had his middle son LiAngelo - born in 1998 - leave UCLA after the school reportedly did not say how long LiAngelo's indefinite suspension would be after he was caught shoplifting in a store in China whose dream is to have all three sons play for the Los Angeles Lakers started making noise about maybe sending his sons abroad to play professionally and improve their games Apparently the main condition was that whichever club signed them would need to play both of them There were a number of problems with this situation it's unclear exactly how good the 19-year-old LiAngelo actually is - he was not expected to be a starter at UCLA There are not that many clubs out there that can accommodate the Ball situation - also because the club would need to have spots for two foreigners A post shared by Big Baller Brand (@bigballerbrand) on Dec 11 Don't feel bad if you haven't heard of the club Not loads of basketball people in Europe have Say what you say but i bet 99 % of the basketball fans in the world never heard of Vytautas Prienai until yesterday Prienai is a town of about 10,000 people located about 30 minutes drive from Kaunas The club did win two Lithuanian Cups (2013 and 2014) and finished third in the Lithuanian LKL twice (2011 and 2012) They also are the reigning champions of the Baltic Basketball League (BBL) - a lower-level continental league made up of teams from Belarus Latvia and Lithuania with 12 of the 13 winners in the league's history being Lithuanian clubs And Vytautas have a lot of areas where the Ball brothers could fit in Money has been tight with the club as they reportedly have been paying their players late recently They also have just one foreigner - Ukrainian international guard Denys Lukashov - in a league which allows five foreigners they also play in the BBL - which gives them a chance to provide plenty of playing time to LiAngelo and LaMelo who are most likely not good enough to play in the LKL The Ball family has been criticized for sending LiAngelo and LaMelo to this team and this league there really are not a lot of teams who can offer what the Balls are requesting the Balls get a spot to play - regardless of the level And … they get material for their on-going reality show "Ball in the Family." but I would watch the hell out of a reality TV show of the Ball brothers in the Lithuanian village w/LaVar in the stands (potentially mic'd up) watching them in the Baltic League Prienai is not exactly big - and there is nothing even resembling a mall there Most of the players stay in nearby Birstonas where the conditions are supposed to be pretty nice but it's even smaller than Prienai - though it is a popular spa destination for its sanatorium the scene tends to get a bit wild - as the whole family has become truly global celebrities Best Prienai/Birstonas tour ever. Welcome, Ball family! Vytautas Mikaitis, simply the best! Full video: https://t.co/gXCEXxiGcl pic.twitter.com/SlCv8Z3SFu Probably the biggest question that needs to be answered is if LiAngelo and LaMelo actually come over to Europe They are due to arrive on January 4 and would likely play their first game in the BBL against Belarus side BC Tsmoki-Minsk on January 9 LiAngelo & LaMelo will arrive to Prienai on the 4th of Janaury They are expected to play their first professional basketball game on the 9th of January vs BC Tsmoki-Minsk (Belarus) the Balls could likely buy their way out of the contract should for example another offer come in But there is also an option in the contract to break it off after the first month they could come for a month and then head back home This much publicity and attention is priceless Just the fact that the world is talking about this little town and this club will help Vytautas Prienai director Adomas Kubilius: 'We don't know what to expect People will be flying in from the United States and around the world and come to Prienai to see these two characters and how they interact with the team That would also be an immediate boost to the local economy what if LiAngelo and LaMelo actually prove themselves to be serviceable players and help the club win some games Another huge win for the club - and the players in proving the doubters wrong But that's kind of what the Ball family world is all about if they could just arrive in Prienai by helicopter and make it a really big show - don't put it past them FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article. spent part of the 2017-18 season with Vytautas Prienu in Lithuania's LKL after he was pulled out of Chino Hills High School by his father LaMelo has enrolled at SPIRE in hopes of jump-starting his career stateside LaMelo made his SPIRE debut Saturday with 20 points and 10 assists in a 96-86 exhibition win over The Hill School in Pottstown The NCAA has yet to rule on Ball's eligibility He also looked like his old self while running the floor and finishing with some fast-break dunks: Although he is often known for his shooting, this ability to push the tempo and finish at the rim is a major reason Ball is considered a 5-star prospect and the No. 19 overall player in the 2019 class, per 247Sports as the two teams got into a scuffle that cleared the benches (Warning: NSFW language in videos): walking around the action and avoiding any contact with the opposing team He remained focused on the prize and helped his team add another win to its impressive season Spire's next scheduled game is home Wednesday against Teays Valley LiAngelo and LaVar Ball PHOTO: AFP / Scanpix Prienai is living the hour of the star – it has become the Lithuanian city with most mentions in international media after a local basketball club signed a contract with US celebrities Teenage siblings from the famous Ball family should arrive in Lithuania on Wednesday evening to start their professional careers in the Vytautas Prienai-Birštonas club is the welcoming sign for brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball put up by a local pizzeria Tango Pizza in a city of 10,000 residents "We thought it should be fun. It is also a show for them," said Jaunius Mališauskas does not expect the 16-year-old and the 19-year-old Ball siblings to be a major help for moving from the bottom of the Lithuanian Basketball League or going up in the Baltic Basketball League where it is currently 4th in its group saying that the Ball project is purely commercial Vytautas has already secured sponsorship of one company and is currently holding talks with a few other potential sponsors The Ball family made headlines in the past years due to the strong-worded statements by their father LaVar Ball and their brother Lonzo's performance in the NBA Some people say the family is something like the Kardashian clan in the US "We have no experience with such stars here, however, if they take this seriously, Prienai has successfully raised a number of basketball players," said Prienai Mayor Alvydas Vaicekauskas After Prienai signed the contract with the Ball brothers at the beginning of December the names of Prienai and Lithuania made a ripple through the United States media with TV anchors making repeated attempts to correctly pronounce the city or the club the brothers will play in Nevertheless, it was not only the positive attention – many joked about the poor English language of Vytautas head coach Virginijus Šeškus or his alleged attempts to sell bacon from the trunk of his car "We will finally show the world what we are It should be a superb opportunity to promote ourselves," said Neringa said the arrival of the Ball brothers was still hard to believe "When I and my colleagues at work heard about their father looking for a club for his sons around the globe I joked it would be fun for them to come to Prienai It is now odd to hear that this is really happening," said Venckevičius LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball should play in Vytautas for at least a month with the possibility to terminate the project any time later The club is the first professional team for the US players said the team planned to start selling Ball T-shirts next week Owners of the Tango Pizza in central Prienai expect to the Ball brothers to sign the T-shirts before putting them up on the wall of the pizzeria as the siblings have already announced plans of visiting the place The businessmen said their father was also expected at the pizzeria pledging to name the pizzas and burgers they like the most after them It is the first and the last time for Prienai when we have been covered in The New York Times," said Dovile Mališauskienė while standing next to Lithuanian and US flags hanging in the pizza place The Ball brothers PHOTO: DELFI / Kiril Čachovskij The two teenage sons of LaVar Ball, a flamboyant Los Angeles businessman who has made headlines due to his feud with US President Donald Trump landed in Lithuania on Wednesday night to play for a local basketball club that they see as a stop on their "journey" to the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers but we gonna come over here and have some fun first," LaVar Ball told reporters at Vilnius Airport The Ball family were greeted at the capital's airport by several tens of Lithuanian and US journalists and onlookers A special Party Bus took the Balls to their new residence in the southern Lithuanian spa resort of Birštonas The Lithuanian club makes no secret that the contract with the 19-year-old LiAngelo and his 16-year-old brother LaMelo is more of a commercial than a sports project BC Vytautas has already attracted a new sponsor after the deal was signed and is currently in talks with several other potential sponsors Prienai and Lithuania as a whole grabbed US media attention following the signing of the contact in early December as TV anchors tried to correctly pronounce the names of the town of 10,000 people and of the Vytautas club LaVar Ball last year came into media spotlight after Trump accused him of being ungrateful for his help in getting his son LiAngelo released from jail in China for shoplifting it's easy to imagine that the now 23-year-old also had specific ideas about where he wanted to start his journey in the league The 6'6" point guard recalled his time playing in Lithuania describing it as a challenging experience that made him realize any NBA city would feel like a major improvement "Honestly, after Lithuania, I didn't give a f*** where I got drafted to…It was bad, bro. Once you get through that, it was like, I don't care where y'all put me in. As long as I'm in the States and I got water, I'm good," shared Ball Diving deeper into Ball's story shows why this was especially true for him After all, the California native wasn't just an "aspiring player"; his father, former NFL player LaVar Ball thrust him into the public spotlight early This resulted in the whole family—including mother Tina and the other children LiAngelo and Lonzo—being featured in the reality TV series "Ball in the Family." Airing from 2017 to 2020, the show also covered what happened after LaVar had LiAngelo and LaMelo then moved overseas to chase their basketball dreams at Chino Hills High Culture shock in LithuaniaArriving in Lithuania in 2018 the brothers experienced a culture shock like no other the standards of the resorts they stayed at fell far short of Melo's expectations MF calves hanging off the bed—not feet calves hanging off the bed!," remarked the 2022 NBA All-Star While one could debate whether these comments stemmed from too high expectations or genuine issues they ultimately had a silver lining for the skilled playmaker my mental has been straight," he noted "That's pretty much when I just locked in It seems that the "sacrifice," as Melo described the struggles he endured during that period, really paid off in the end. Also, one thing is clear: since being drafted third overall by the Charlotte Hornets the fifth-year player has been living in circumstances far more to his liking He joined Basketball Network in August 2023 where he now works as a writer and enjoys reminiscing about the 2000s NBA which he considers the most nostalgic time and skill rather than verbal jabs on the basketball court but that was all it took to earn the city's respect — and his LITHUANIA - JANUARY 05: LaVar Ball along with his sons LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball during a press conference after LiAngelo and LaMelo's first training session with Vytautas Prienai on January 5 A couple of days after it was reported that LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball had their contract options picked up they had a game against Lithuania's best team suffered a 118-96 loss to Lithuanian Basketball League leaders Zalgiris Kaunas at Prienai Arena LaMelo and LiAngelo put up some serious offensive stats scored 19 points and dished out six assists The loss dropped their team to 4-18 on the season That's two games worse than any other team in the LBL what LaMelo and LiAngelo have been able to do is really impressive has proven to be an extremely capable player against guys significantly older than him It's clearly been really entertaining to watch LaMelo and LiAngelo will be with the team through the rest of the season Sports' Shams Charania reported this week that the team picked up their contract option which will keep them in Lithuania through June.