[highflyer0Participant]

 

Before, I considered him to be just an annoying loudmouth, but I think there may be more to it than that.  There is something legitimately scary about LaVar Ball, and even scarier about someone like him having power and influence in the sports world.  

I watched an hour long interview between him and Chris Broussard, and, for the most part, he seemed to be saying the right things, even sometimes sounding insightful.  However, something that really raised a red flag for me was his response to Broussard’s question about whether Lonzo ever came to him and asked to back off with the Steph Curry comparisons.  He completely dismissed the question, saying that Lonzo, and the rest of his boys, would never do anything like that.  He insisted that they basically have no right to question him, because he raised them.  That’s fine, I guess, if that’s kind of parent he wants to be; that’s his right.  However, this response is more troubling when it is coupled with a recent interview with Chino Hills current coach (Stephan Gilling), in which the coach recounts how LaVar Ball tried to take complete control of the team during halftime of a game, yelling "I run Chino Hills! I run UCLA, about to run the NBA!" (USA Today).  

Now, I guess the coach could be making that stuff up, but I highly doubt it, given LaVar’s track record in interviews.  What this shows me is that LaVar’s supreme arrogance and selfishness is not an act; it is who he is.  Some people in the media are trying to act like he is just doing what he feels is best for him and his family.  But I think they are giving him too much credit.  To be completely honest, I think LaVar is a very bad man.  I think he’s a narcissist in the clinical sense of the word.  His recent comments about the "white players" on UCLA, as mentioned in a previous post, show that he has absolutely zero compassion or respect for anyone outside of his own family, and, quite frankly, I’m not sure how much he has for his family either.  

There has been a longstanding debate about whether LaVar’s antics could affect Lonzo’s draft stock.  I know this may be unfair to Lonzo, since he seems like a nice kid, but if I were an NBA team I would have to be 100% sure that Lonzo really is nothing like his father.  In fact, I’d even go as far as to say I’d have to get confirmation from Lonzo that he will not let his father interfere in any way with team business.  To be honest, I’d feel most comfortable, as an NBA team, if behind closed doors Lonzo said he wanted to escape his father’s influence.  

 Perhaps my view of LaVar will evolve over time.  Perhaps when Liangelo plays five minutes per game his first year at UCLA, LaVar won’t go ballistic and will admit that Alford knows best.  Perhaps, when Lonzo hits the rookie wall, he won’t blame his "white temmates" for his struggles.  But I doubt it.  I’m reminded of that famous Maya Angelou quote "When someone shows you who they are, believe them; the first time."  LaVar has shown us who he is, and we should not think it’s just some sort of temporary circus act.  He’s egotistical to the point of insane.  He’s a control freak.  In interviews, it’s apparent that he believes his sons exist so that he can become famous and take over the world.  I hope Lonzo and Liangelo and Lamelo succeed and become stars.  But I hope LaVar fails.  That may be a paradox, but we’ll see.  

   

 

 

 

 

[EspressoParticipant]

 That guy is so annoying, and I think the media is even more annoying for giving him any kind of clout. 

Honestly, it’s petty. Him saying Lonzo will be better than Curry is absurd.

Me and friends were talking about it, NBA players are gonna hate Lonzo just because his Dad. I hate the fuqing guy. Just STFU already, you’re done, let your sons be who they are.

I would respect it so much more if it was actually Lonzo doing the bragging, but is his lame Dad trying to be relevant and giving some sort of promotion to his sons…. it’s making me want Lonzo to fail miserably, but I could never wish that upon a young baller

 

 

 

[ChoppyParticipant]

 The media really needs to stop giving him air time. Ignore it and it hopefully goes away. Unfortunately I think Lavar is like a cancer that needs to be surgically removed. Even if the media stops talking about him, social media will allow him to get his message out. 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 He was on the Boston sports talk radio last week, and it wasn’t all that bad. He said all the right things, joked anout his mindless comments, and overall just seemed like an NBA prospects dad. 

At first a lot of the radio hosts didn’t even want to talk to him, and were sick that they boston media was even giving this guy a platform, and I agree. I understand what he’s trying to do. He just really wants his kid to be a Laker, and Lonzo himself wants to be a Laker. They are just trying to distract people from this, and think twice about taking him so he can go to LA. It’s all just a game to them.

I think people will still focus in on the Dad, but with time he will just quiet down. 

 

 

[Reptilian MonkParticipant]

 All I heard him say was " I need more attention, pay attention to me, I need to promote my brand to make more money"

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

I don’t know if I believe Lonzo himself wants to join the Lakers. I know on live television he said he wants to be a Laker so badly, that he’d rather be a Laker over being the #1 pick in the draft. But wasn’t his Dad right there in that same interview? What if he was just saying that just so his Dad wouldn’t get mad and try to run/ruin his life even more? Even if is his Dad wasn’t in the interview, Lonzo had to have some fear of the interview leaking out into the media, he was on live television afterall it’s not like his Dad is not going to be watching what his son says even if from a distance and then later scold him for not wanting to be a Laker. 

I agree if I were among the decision comittee on the Lakers, Celtics, Suns, or Magic, I would want to hear Lonzo himself say, behind closed doors, that he actually wants to get away from his Dad, that he needs to do so. I would need to hear him say, "I can’t become the person my Dad compares me to if I am playing in his backyard, with him constantly watching over my shoulder coaching and criticizing my every move." I would need to hear him say, "I want to be my own person, and in order to do that I need to be as far away from my father as possible."

I, as a basketball fan, who wants the best for every player, but also realizes that we as fans can’t control who they become, only they themselves, the players can, secretly hope he goes to a team in the East, that way he is as far away from that controlling influence of his father as possible. 

 

 

[MopgrassParticipant]

 Does any GM want a guarantee that the player’s father will criticize them night and day? 

As a Laker fan, I’d love to see Lonzo on the team, but he should get as far away from his father as possible. Too bad Maine doesn’t have a team. 

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

I wrote a post a little bit ago about how I thought Lavar was being a jerk. He’s gone overboard with his recent comments about the “white guys” on UCLA not having enough foot speed and all that stuff. People need to ignore this guy. The fact that we are even talking about him is playing right into his hands. Lavar is a flat out jerk. There is no other way to put it. If I’m a GM, do I want the possibility of this guy being a complete headache to coach and front office staff if Lonzo doesn’t start right away or if he doesn’t play enough. There is a very good chance he would try to interfere with coaching and management because he is that bad of a helicopter parent. He is P Diddy on steroids. Stop bringing him on your shows so he can run his mouth about beating Jordan one on one and showing off his Big Baller Brand hat and t-shirt. Guy is absolutely crazy and nobody should want anything to do with this guy.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

If Lonzo wasn’t a turn style on defense and has zero isolation scoring ability his dad would scare me away from drafting him in the top 5.  But add in Lavar "Mr. 2.2" Ball and I think any team  needing a PG who draft Lonzo over Fultz, Fox, or Smith is making a huge mistake.

 

Now the real question is will Liangello avg more then 2.2 at UCLA?

 

[sheltwon3Participant]

 Gelo is a big time scorer so how would he average 2.2 pts at UCLA which is big on offensve and not the slow down play that caused Lavar to average that many points at Washington.  If you have issues with Lavar why take it out on his kids who have done nothing wrong.  How can you be the bigger person and attack innocent people just because you know you can’t or anyone else get Lavar to stop.  The thing is he is not going anywhere whether you like him or not.  What you can do is ignore him.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Yah Im about to completely ignore everything associated with Lavar Ball. Treat him like an internet troll. Problem solved. 

[BiggysmallsParticipant]

 I hope the Wolves draft Lonzo. Not because I’m in love with Ball the player or how he’d fit the Wolves but that’d make great theater. Papa Ball would hate that sooooo soooo much. 

[CynthiaParticipant]

The thing that worries me the most, is something most people either ignore on purpose or are naive. But it’s very obvious his kids were at the very least mentally abused if not physically abused. A father with that strong of a prescence/ego is not the type to let his kids do anything they want, it’s obvious he forced basketball onto them at a very young age and has most likely brainwashed them into thinking it’s all that matters in life.

[Author]

Posts