Back in 2020, ITG Next published a story about how the 2015-2016 Chino Hills High School basketball team might have had the greatest starting five that the sport has ever seen at the prep level.
Featuring a lineup of multiple eventual NBA stars, Chino Hills was one of the best in all of high school basketball, if not the top team overall, that season.
That year Chino Hills ended the season with an undefeated record of 36-0, capping it with a dominant 70-50 victory over De La Salle to win the 2016 CIF Open Division state title. Along the way, the Huskies racked up impressive victories over significant programs such as Montverde Academy, Sierra Canyon, Bishop Gorman, and Roosevelt. Chino Hills averaged a combined 98.2 points per game while giving up 70.
Since that 2015-2016 season, nearly every player from that loaded starting lineup has gone on to see success; some are now even stars at the professional level.
Here is a look back at that 2015-2016 Chino Hills starting five and a glance at where each player is now.
Recruiting rankings mentioned below are according to 247Sports Composite.
Lonzo Ball, Guard – Senior
Headlining the 2015-2016 Chino Hills team was senior starting point guard Lonzo Ball, who, at the time, was considered a five-star prospect and was ranked as the nation’s No. 5 player in the 2016 class, regardless of position.
During his senior season with the Huskies, Lonzo Ball had as big of an overall impact as any other player on the team, averaging a triple-double for the season with 23.9 PPG, 11.3 rebounds per game, and 11.5 assist per game. Lonzo Ball also averaged 5.1 steals per game and 1.9 blocks per game that year,and led Chino Hills in almost every statistical category, aside from points.
After departing Chino Hills, Lonzo Ball committed to play collegiately at UCLA, where he shone for the Bruins during his lone season, averaging 14.6 PPG and six RPG. Lonzo Ball led all of college basketball with 7.6 APG that season and compiled numerous honors along the way, including being named an All-American.
At season’s end, Lonzo Ball declared for the 2017 NBA draft. The former Chino Hills star was selected No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he remained for only two seasons before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Lonzo Ball is currently with the Chicago Bulls, averaging a combined 7.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 3.3 APG during his eighth NBA season, six of which he has seen action in.
LaMelo Ball, Guard – Freshman
Starting at shooting guard for Chino Hills was then-freshman LaMelo Ball, a highly-touted prospect who went on to become a five-star recruit and the nation’s No. 23 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class.
Even as a freshman, LaMelo Ball was still a major impact player for the 2015-2016 Huskies, headlined by a scoring average of 16.4 PPG. He also averaged 3.8 APG during his freshman season, which ranked second for Chino Hills.
LaMelo Ball did not conclude his high school career at Chino Hills, instead making a few different stops along the way, which included playing professionally in Lithuania and for Spire Academy in Ohio. The five-star guard did not play collegiately, instead going to Australia to play professionally with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League.
Like his brother Lonzo Ball, LaMelo Ball also eventually became a top pick in the 2020 NBA draft. He was selected No. 3 overall by the Charlotte Hornets and made his mark as a member of the NBA almost immediately, winning the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year award.
Still with Charlotte, the former Chino Hills star is coming off his fifth NBA season, in which he averaged a career-high 25.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 7.4 APG.
Eli Scott, Forward – Junior
Chino Hills had a pair of juniors starting during the 2015-2016 season, the first of which was forward Eli Scott, who ranked as a three-star prospect in the 2017 class.
As a junior, Scott was one of the Huskies’ top rebounders by averaging 8.6 RPG, paired with 15.8 PPG. Scott also averaged 2.4 APG and 1.4 SPG that season.
After departing Chino Hills, Scott went on to play collegiately at Loyola Marymount, where he started for five seasons. Over that span, Scott averaged a combined 14.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 3.1 APG and was a three-time All-WCC honoree.
After college Scott was not drafted into the NBA. Instead, he went on to play a season overseas. The former Chino Hills product is currently not playing professionally.
LiAngelo Ball, Forward – Junior
The other junior forward was LiAngelo Ball, the brother of the previously mentioned Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball. LiAngelo Ball was considered a three-star prospect in the 2017 recruiting class.
During his junior season, he was one of the Huskies’ top players, leading the team in scoring with an average of 27.4 PPG. He also averaged 3.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 1.3 SPG, but made the majority of his impact when scoring the ball.
After Chino Hills, LiAngelo Ball went on to play collegiately at UCLA, but never appeared in a game for the Bruins before leaving the program. He went on to play overseas professionally with brother LaMelo Ball and made a few other stops, the last coming in 2024.
The third, and final, Ball brother on this list is not currently playing basketball and has recently started a career as a rapper.
Onyeka Okongwu, Center – Freshman
Rounding out the 2015-2016 Chino Hills starting lineup was center Onyeka Okongwu, a then-freshman who went on to be rated as a five-star prospect and as the nation’s No. 25 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class.
As a freshman, Okongwu left his mark on the Huskies’ success in 2015-2016 season, averaging 7.9 PPG and 7.2 RPG. He also averaged 3.1 BPG, a number that led Chino Hills by far.
After departing Chino Hills, Okongwu went on to play collegiately for only one season at USC, where he averaged 16.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.7 BPG. He also led the Pac-12 with a field goal percentage of 61.6%, was named First Team All-Pac-12, and was a Pac-12 All-Freshman.
Coming off that phenomenal season at USC, Okongwu declared for the 2020 NBA draft. The center was selected No. 6 overall in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks. He became an immediate impact player for the Hawks and has increased his statistical averages year after year.
Okongwu is still with Atlanta, having recently averaged a career-high 13.4 PPG and 8.9 RPG during his fifth season with the Hawks.
