History shows LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball will have a tough time playing overseas

LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball have signed a one-year contract to play for Prienu Vytautas in Lithuania.

The move is not totally unexpected. Earlier this month, LaMelo Ball officially signed with an agent, meaning he will not play basketball at UCLA like he originally committed to. LaVar Ball withdrew his other son, LiAngelo, from the school last week, making that true for him as well. The two are on their way to play basketball internationally, according to reports, and that may not pan out exactly as they expect.

LaMelo is just 16 years old, and LiAngelo is a 19-year-old who was barely ranked within the top-250 in his high school class. The age and talent differential is enough in itself to make professional basketball difficult for two of the most famous ballers in the world. Historically, even for those who were among the most physically gifted in the world, life overseas wasn’t as glamorous as the money would make it seem.

Two former NBA lottery picks, Brandon Jennings (No. 10 in 2009), and Emmanuel Mudiay (No. 7 in 2015), may be the most well-known for journeying to Europe and Asia, bypassing the college basketball process. But even for those two, life as a pro overseas wasn’t so easy.

Though American basketball talent has traditionally far exceeded its competitors’, playing in Europe still requires teenage kids to compete against adults. For Jennings, that meant playing a lesser role and quickly adjusting to improve his deficiencies. His Italian League team wasn’t there to allow for him to put on an offensive exhibition. It was trying to actually win games. Jennings expressed as much in an interview with the New York Times in 2009.

“My role is to play D and take open shots — that’s it,” Jennings told the NYT. “And I’ve accepted that role.”

As an NBA player, we know Jennings to have been a pure scorer. At the time of the interview, he was averaging just eight points. Jennings’ instant offense ability for a smaller guard is actually a good touchstone for LaMelo.

The youngest Ball is usually only impacting the game if he’s scoring. Will he really be given the opportunity to play that role against real pros?

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Mudiay recalled the competitiveness of the Chinese Basketball Association, playing with grown men like Yi Jianlian. He said he remembered getting clotheslined during a game without a whistle.

“Totally different level of physical play,” Mudiay said.

On top of that, smoking was allowed within the arena, which forced him to hold his breath as he walked to the locker room. Some of his own teammates smoked in the bathroom, and others were even drunk, Mudiay told SI.

Playing for one of the top professional teams in Italy, Jennings was to be paid a $1.2 million salary, which he would use to pay for living expenses for himself, his mother, and half-brother. The problem was that he almost never received his money on time, and told the New York Times he was treated like a child.

“I’ve gotten paid on time once this year,” Jennings said. “They treat me like I’m a little kid. They don’t see me as a man. If you get on a good team, you might not play a lot. Some nights you’ll play a lot; some nights you won’t play at all. That’s just how it is.”

Maybe this won’t be a big deal for the Balls. The Ball brothers are already driving Lamborghinis.

The same SI story quoted an NBA general manager who doubted Mudiay’s performance based on prior CBA player’s bloated numbers.

“It’s terrible competition,” an Eastern Conference GM says of the CBA. “Everyone’s stats are inflated. Look at what Andray Blatche is doing. [During the 2014--15 season Blatche averaged 31.1 points, 14.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.8 steals for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers.] Summer-league games are better. [Mudiay] is a great talent, but that year was almost a wasted year.”

Mudiay was at one point considered a top-three talent, but was selected No. 7 overall — the second point guard prospect to be taken behind D’Angelo Russell.

LiAngelo is not considered an NBA prospect by any means, and he’s three years older than LaMelo. So packaging the two at a place where both players will even see the court will be difficult.

LaMelo is a highly rated recruit as the No. 7 overall player in ESPN’s class of 2019 rankings. But he’s also a flawed one, and still 16 years old. He’s is a known shooter by quantity, and has yet to show signs of being a consistent defender. If Jennings and Mudiay, who were both high lottery prospects, struggled against adult competition, it’s fair to assume LaMelo will have a difficult transition as well.

It’s going to be a journey for the Ball brothers to succeed at a professional level, whether that be the NBA or anywhere else across the globe. Even if they’re getting paid.