Lamelo Ball's dagger against the Hawks was a prediction almost a decade in the making

On December 18th, the Atlanta Hawks traveled north to Charlotte to face off against the Charlotte Hornets. Atlanta erased a 24-point lead after struggling in the first half, eventually making it a one point game with under three minutes to go.

That momentum, however, was short-lived. The Hornets fought back to a hold three-point lead with thirty seconds left. LaMelo Ball had possession of the ball as the shot clock was expiring with the chance to score the game-sealing points. As Hawks fans remember all too well, Ball hit a ridiculous 30-foot stepback dagger to take a 129-123 lead, fueling a 133-126 win for the Hornets.

The most intriguing part about this moment, however, wasn't the shot itself; it's who was guarding LaMelo. Onyeka Okongwu, who has been one of Atlanta's most consistent starters thus far in the season, had the misfortune of being on the wrong end of this highlight, but their relationship runs deeper than most fans realize.

Nearly a decade ago, LaMelo Ball and Onyeka Okongwu were teammates for the famous Chino Hills High School basketball team, one of the most legendary high school squads in history. Led by the Ball brothers, their stretch in 2015 and 2016 captivated the internet, and the team's combination of size, pace, and physical dominance was the springboard that launched the Ball brothers up draft boards and into celebrity status.

Onyeka Okongwu wasn't quite as lucky, remaining out of the spotlight during the team's state championship run. While the Ball brothers made the headlines with their flashy dunks and long threes, Okongwu and the rest of the squad filled the gaps left behind by the transition-heavy trio of brothers. Still, he was a critical part of the team, and cemented his spot as a future highly-touted NBA prospect.

A of Okongwu back at Chino Hills, however, has recently resurfaced following their head-to-head matchup. Back in a classroom interview with a freshman LaMelo Ball, he taunted Okongwu, saying, "I took O's soul." After their recent matchup, this becomes less of a friendly jab and more of a spot-on prediction a decade in the making.

The ball is in Okongwu's court to even the count

What makes this moment really come full-circle for the two is the journey that each of them took to even get to the league in the first place. While LaMelo's name has been in headlines since he was 14, his path to the league was anything but typical. LaMelo navigated between various overseas leagues in Australia and Lithuania, which ruled him ineligible for NCAA competition in the pre-NIL era. Despite heavily struggling in professional competition, Ball's resume and talent made him a top-three pick.

On the other hand, Okongwu had a pretty standard transition from high school to the pros. After graduating as a five-star prospect, Okongwu spent one year at USC before being drafted #6 overall in the same draft. Unlike Ball, who immediately rose to stardom after winning 2020 Rookie of the Year, the USC product had a slower growth curve. Fast forward to 2025, and the share nearly identical box score stat lines, with LaMelo having the slight edge in points per game.

That's what makes this shot from Ball over Okongwu so special – the fact that these two former teammates crossed paths again, even after two drastically different paths to the league, and fulfilling a prophecy jokingly made over a decade ago, is downright mind-boggling.

Ten years ago, this interview was just an early glimpse into LaMelo Ball's mentality. While it came off as a joke in the moment, LaMelo has the last laugh as of the end of 2025. However, Atlanta gets a home game against Charlotte next year on February 7th. Maybe it's Okongwu's time to return the favor, and get a leg up in this decade-long high school rivalry.