Watch: Dog lover LaMelo Ball gets new puppy as he adds North American Mastiff to his pack
With the Charlotte Hornets not making the postseason, LaMelo Ball's fourth season in the NBA has come to an end. While enjoying some downtime in the offseason, the former All-Star has made a new addition to his family.
Aside from basketball, Ball is a known animal lover. He has a wide range of dogs, and recently decided to take in another. A North American Mastiff kennel posted a video on their Instagram of the Hornets guard coming in to pick up a dog.
LaMelo Ball, 22, already owns four other dogs. He doesn't hide his love for animals and often shares the spotlight with them. During a photoshoot with "Edition," Ball made sure his dogs made an appearance as well.
Following his latest addition, Ball's collection of dogs is up to five now. The North American Mastiff is a mix of English and Anatolian Mastiff. It's a rather large dog, as they can grow to 36 inches and weigh nearly 200 pounds.
LaMelo Ball is scared of his brother's dog
As most know, LaMelo Ball is the younger brother of Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball. Along with being two of the top point guard prospects of the last decades, the two are also avid dog lovers.
It's evident that LaMelo cares about his dogs. Nevertheless, it seems he has a different relation with his brother's rottwelier. A video went viral a few years ago of LaMelo running scared from Lonzo's dog.
In the clip, it looks like the Charlotte Hornets star is trying to sneak up on the dog. Once he's aware that the dog is awake, he quickly runs out of the room before it gets to him. Lonzo later lets his dog loose to chase his younger brother all around the house.
When the Ball brothers aren't enjoying time with their animals, they are trying to get their NBA careers back on track. Both have been sidelined multiple times in recent years.
After playing 75 games in 2022, LaMelo Ball has struggled to stay on the court consistently. In 2023, he appeared in only 36 games for the Hornets.
This season, that number dropped even lower to 22. When on the floor, he's still one of the top young guards in the league, but availability has been a major issue.
Things have been even worse for Lonzo, though, who has permanently been on the sidelines due to knee inuries. The last time he was in action for the Bulls was in 2022, when he played in 35 games.
Over the last two years, the 26-year-old has seen countless medical professionals in hopes of getting back on the court.