Fresh off being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, veteran point guard Lonzo Ball showed up to back his brother, LiAngelo Ball, AKA Gelo, at the 2025 ESPY Awards. The 2017 No. 2 pick promptly went viral for introducing LiAngelo’s hit song “Tweaker.”
LiAngelo, who pursued an NBA career after going undrafted in 2018, has since found his footing in the rap world. He gained momentum after “Tweaker” surged in popularity following its January 3 release. The track’s success earned him a record deal with Def Jam and Universal Music Group worth up to $13 million, with $8 million guaranteed.
Since then, LiAngelo has landed several high-profile performance gigs, including at this year’s NBA All-Star Weekend. The burgeoning hip-hop star once again rose to the occasion on Wednesday, with Lonzo hyping up his younger sibling.
Lonzo Ball Promotes His Brother LiAngelo at ESPYs
During Wednesday’s awards show, Lonzo took the stage to introduce LiAngelo before he performed “Tweaker,” encouraging the crowd to applaud him.
“ESPYs ’25, what’s happening? If you’re trying to have a good time tonight, put your hands together and give it up for my brother, Gelo,” Lonzo said.
Lonzo Ball introduced Gelo at the ESPYS 🎤🔥 pic.twitter.com/z1k4kgSwWZ
— ESPN (@espn) July 17, 2025
Lonzo, who also raps on the side, is no stranger to supporting LiAngelo’s rap profession. Last month, the two performed together during the BET Awards.
The two-way guard has also been aiding LiAngelo with the roll-out of his upcoming album “League of My Own,” which is set to release on Friday.
Lonzo Ball interviews GELO about his forthcoming album League Of My Own🏀 pic.twitter.com/xYSJPfezPA
— Shirley Ju (@shirju) July 17, 2025
While LiAngelo’s NBA dreams didn’t pan out, Lonzo is gearing up for his seventh season. He was officially acquired from the Chicago Bulls on July 6 in exchange for forward Isaac Okoro, a move that Cleveland was widely praised for.
Lonzo Ball on ‘Blessing’ of Joining Cavaliers
Lonzo has dealt with extensive health setbacks in recent years, playing in only 35 games this past season after missing the previous two campaigns due to left knee issues. According to the 27-year-old, he’s looking forward to furthering his career with a competitive Cavaliers team coming off an Eastern Conference-best 64-win season.
“It’s just a blessing, to be honest,” Lonzo said on the July 4 edition of “What An Experience with Lonzo Ball.”
“Everybody keeps asking me how I feel about the trade. I’m like, ‘I’m happy to still be playing anywhere, let alone a team that has a real chance to win a ring.’ My whole life, I’ve been playing the right brand of basketball, and that’s to win games. I feel like I’m going to a great situation, and I just want to play my role and do what I can to help.”
When healthy, Lonzo remains a versatile asset who can facilitate, space the floor and defend the perimeter. The 6’6″ guard is expected to fill in as Cleveland’s backup point guard as the East powerhouse seeks to bounce back from its disappointing second-round playoff exit.