Lonzo Ball thinks his Chino Hills High School team "could've played in today's NBA"
Lonzo Ball believes the legendary Chino Hills High School squad he headlined was so dynamic it could have held its own in today’s NBA. It is a bold claim that instantly reignites a familiar debate: how good can an all-time great high school team really be when measured against the best basketball league in the world?
Ball’s Chino Hills team became a viral phenomenon for its pace, spacing, and relentless pressure. With Lonzo orchestrating, LaMelo and LiAngelo filling it up from deep, and a swarm of athletes flying up and down the floor, they looked more like a track meet than a traditional prep program. In an era where the NBA increasingly values tempo, three-point volume, and versatility, it is easy to see why Ball views that group as stylistically ahead of its time.
From a league perspective, though, the gap between even elite teenagers and NBA rotation players is massive. The modern NBA is built on layers of defensive schemes, advanced scouting, and physical development that no high school program can replicate. Role players who barely crack 15 minutes a night are often stronger, more disciplined, and more tactically sound than any opponent Chino Hills ever faced.
What Ball is really highlighting is how his high school team anticipated where the NBA was headed. The league has tilted toward five-out spacing, guards initiating everything, and bigs who can run, pass, and defend in space. Those Chino Hills teams leaned into similar principles long before most prep programs fully embraced them, which makes them feel “NBA-like” in hindsight.
His comment also underscores how deeply today’s players see the game through a professional lens from a young age. High school stars grow up studying NBA spacing, actions, and shot profiles on social media and film platforms. When Ball says that Chino Hills could have played in today’s NBA, it reflects not just confidence, but how blurred the stylistic line has become between youth basketball’s elite and the league they all aspire to reach.
Ball’s Chino Hills team became a viral phenomenon for its pace, spacing, and relentless pressure. With Lonzo orchestrating, LaMelo and LiAngelo filling it up from deep, and a swarm of athletes flying up and down the floor, they looked more like a track meet than a traditional prep program. In an era where the NBA increasingly values tempo, three-point volume, and versatility, it is easy to see why Ball views that group as stylistically ahead of its time.
From a league perspective, though, the gap between even elite teenagers and NBA rotation players is massive. The modern NBA is built on layers of defensive schemes, advanced scouting, and physical development that no high school program can replicate. Role players who barely crack 15 minutes a night are often stronger, more disciplined, and more tactically sound than any opponent Chino Hills ever faced.
What Ball is really highlighting is how his high school team anticipated where the NBA was headed. The league has tilted toward five-out spacing, guards initiating everything, and bigs who can run, pass, and defend in space. Those Chino Hills teams leaned into similar principles long before most prep programs fully embraced them, which makes them feel “NBA-like” in hindsight.
His comment also underscores how deeply today’s players see the game through a professional lens from a young age. High school stars grow up studying NBA spacing, actions, and shot profiles on social media and film platforms. When Ball says that Chino Hills could have played in today’s NBA, it reflects not just confidence, but how blurred the stylistic line has become between youth basketball’s elite and the league they all aspire to reach.
