As a 16-year-old, Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball opted to leave high school and skip college in favor of playing professionally overseas – first in Lithuania and then in Australia.
His unorthodox path, which evaded playing for a blue-blood college basketball program like his brother Lonzo at UCLA, is one that ultimately paid off as LaMelo just won the NBA Rookie of the Year award after being drafted No. 3 in last year.
As a 19-year old now, Ball said he has no regrets and dismissed the appeal of a traditional pathway to the league.