KENNESAW, Ga. – By the time Levi Ball arrived at Kennesaw State this summer, he had already learned how to start over. Eleven moves, countless new schools and friendships left behind, and a childhood spent following his father's Army assignments taught him resilience long before he ever stepped onto a college basketball court. Ball made the trip at the end of May from South Carolina to start his new life in the state of Georgia. 

An Army brat his entire life, Ball moved 11 times growing up, as his father was a military chaplain. Every two years he would be reassigned to a base in another part of the country, and the entire family would make the move as well. That was hard on Ball at first, but something that as he grew older, he was able to use the sport of basketball to make the moves easier. 

“When I was younger, I hated it. It felt like my connections, and everything were constantly being pulled away. But now that I'm older, basketball was able to help me meet a lot of friends when I moved somewhere new. It forced me to talk to and interact with people. I also really appreciate getting put in a new environment because it's taught me a lot about resilience.” 

Having already experienced so many moves, like playing his first two years at Salado High in Killeen, Texas, before finishing his final two years at Gray Collegiate Academy in Columbia, S.C., Ball is ready for the challenge of his first year at the collegiate level.

The biggest factor in Ball's commitment wasn't geography or facilities, but rather the people. “It was the coaching staff. The way they recruited me, talked to me and showed me film just made sense to me.

“The faith-based aspect was something I wanted to be around. The ‘Rock Solid’ motto has a foundation in the Bible, and the servant leadership really stood out to me. Faith is really important to me.

Coach (Antoine) Pettway’s care for everybody also stood out. Some head coaches aren't very involved in the recruiting process, but Coach Pettway came down to my school multiple times and came to multiple practices. He really showed that he cared.”

Though if you asked Ball a decade ago, he would not have envisioned himself on the hardwood for a collegiate team. Soccer was his sport of choice growing up. 

“I played soccer for nine years, starting when I was about nine. I wanted to be a professional soccer player badly. Then, in sixth grade, since I had always been taller than everybody, I asked my mom, ‘Can I try basketball, just for the fun of it?’" 

Ball would play both for the next several years, but then when forced to make a choice between the two as a freshman in high school, he felt basketball was the better choice. As he started to focus on just one sport, his improvement started to grow as well. 

He quickly gives praise to his parents as the biggest influences on his basketball journey, and what made it possible to make his college basketball dream come true.  

“My parents were always there for me, they invested so much in terms of time and everything, especially when in high school I would play for AAU teams that might be hours away because they were the best ones in the area. It meant a lot of late Tuesday and Thursday nights when they would drive me to practices, and everything else they had to do, I definitely wouldn’t be here without them.”

Ball also brings up the influence of his father in helping to succeed on the court. 

“Growing up in the military, it definitely helped with my toughness. My dad was the type of person who would do family workouts at 5 a.m. before school when I was younger. The Army mentality helped my discipline a lot.” 

It also gave him the opportunity to play basketball on the base against the Army personel. Going up against older and more physical players, Ball surprised many, and he credits that as making him tougher as well.

The Owls first learned about Ball thanks to his coach at Gray Collegiate, Dion Bethea, one of the most highly respected coaches in the state. Bethea came to Pettway at a summer event and said, "Pett, we've got a guy you're going to love. He's got great size, he can really shoot it, and we call him 'Let It Fly Levi.' This dude is your kind of player."

Pettway watched Ball’s next game, and quickly understood what Bethea meant. The coaching staff continued to follow his progress throughout that summer.

“We loved everything he brought to the table—his size, his shooting ability—and it went up from there,” said Pettway. 

KSU then made it an emphasis to get Ball signed as a future Owl. 

“He came on a visit, and we pretty much rolled out the red carpet,” said KSU’s head coach.”AD Milton Overton met with him, Sheb True (KSU Vice Provost) met with him, and they got it done for us.”

Pettway said Ball's impact for the Owls will extend well beyond his ability on the court.

"He's an even better person than he is a player, and that says a lot because I think he's a really, really talented player," Pettway said. "He comes from a great family. The sky's the limit for him."

As Ball has settled into the program, Pettway believes the freshman has only reinforced everything the coaching staff hoped they were getting. He said Ball "checks all the boxes" from both a character and work ethic standpoint and has already exceeded the lofty expectations the Pettway noted.

"Every week I walk into my office thinking, 'Man, this Levi Ball kid is really good.' I think he's got a chance to be really good in the way we play."

Pettway has been equally impressed by Ball's consistency since arriving on campus, praising his willingness to compete every day and do whatever is needed to help the team succeed.

"Every single day he's shown up, worked his tail off and found a way to help his team win," Pettway said. "That's all he's done since he's gotten here."

On the floor, Pettway believes Ball's game is far more complete than simply being known as a shooter.

"I love his rebounding. I love his defensive ability," Pettway said. "Offensively, he's a big-time shot maker with great size, but he also has athleticism. He plays the game at a great pace and plays it the right way."

Along with his shooting ability, Pettway pointed to Ball's size, motor and versatility as traits that make him an ideal fit for Kennesaw State's style of play.

When Ball was asked what Owl fans can expect to see from Ball this upcoming season, he describes himself as a fundamentally sound player. 

“I'm not very flashy with what I do, but I shoot the ball pretty well, I play really aggressively and I try my hardest in everything I do.” Ball describes his range as extending several feet beyond the NBA three-point line, a confidence that was evident during warmups before a summer practice.

Pettway quickly agreed on Ball's shooting ability. “He can shoot it deep. He can really shoot it. I don't know where it ends yet. Sometimes he pulls up from way, way out there, and I'm thinking, ‘You know what? If it goes in, it's a good shot.’

He makes more than he misses, so I'll definitely give him credit for having a lot of range.”

Ball has had to adjust to the higher level of college play, but one he’s embraced. “This is the first time I have really played with a whole bunch of guys who cared about the sport as much as I do. All these guys are here for a reason, and it’s really awesome to be part of a program where everybody cares about it and tries their hardest,” he said.

The freshman has also been enjoying another big part of college life – the food. “I love the food here, the snacks in the locker room, the meal swipes at the dining.” When asked if he has a favorite spot so far in Kennesaw? “Panda Express, we didn’t have one near us in South Carolina. So I’ve been there probably every week since I got here.” 

While basketball first became a way for Ball to find a home wherever his family moved, one moment during his senior year reminded him the game could become something even bigger.

Working out alone in the gym in the offseason, a boy who was visiting Gray Collegiate with his mom remembered watching Ball play during his junior year and asked if he could get a picture with him. 

"That kind of blew me away," Ball said. "It made me realize even more that I have the ability to be somebody kids can look up to and that I can influence someone in a positive way."

For someone who spent his childhood moving from place to place, basketball has become much more than the sport he chose. It became the constant that helped him find a home, and now, as he begins his career at Kennesaw State, an opportunity to make a difference for the next generation.

The Champions Fund 
The Champions Fund is a newly created, 100% tax deductible, philanthropic opportunity to contribute strategic revenue to Kennesaw State Athletics, with the goal of strengthening our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent in this new era of collegiate athletics. Contributions to the Champions Fund will help aid in funding student-athlete recruitment and retention, as well as helping the Owls provide competitive excellence through investments in coaching, travel and facilities. The fund will also give an elevated student-athlete experience, including enhanced academic, nutrition, wellness and leadership programs. Donate to the Champions Fund here and help us support our Kennesaw State Owls.