LaVar Ball

[WVRed]

Figured he deserves his own thread.

For those who live under a rock, Ball has made some rather controversial claims:

Saying his son could handle Steph Curry

Saying his son would only play for the Lakers

Saying his starting price for a shoe deal for all three of his sons was a BILLION dollars.

Saying he could have beaten Michael Jordan in his prime. (Averaged 2.2 PPG at Washington State)

Feuding with Charles Barkley to where Barkley is wearing the team jersey of who UCLA is playing until UCLA loses .

It's also got his own Twitter hashtag, #LaVarBallSays

Is this for real or a way to promote his business (Ballislife) or does he really believe what he says?

[Assembly Hall]

All I can say is those other two kids better be pretty damn good.

[JaxRed]

Heard some people saying that if he signed a shoe deal for all three kids for a billion (or whatever amount), he would lose their amatuer status.

[paintmered]

Shame that UCLA will face an actual defense Sunday. I want nothing more than for my Cats to send LaVar and his over-promoted boy home as losers.

[paintmered]

Heard some people saying that if he signed a shoe deal for all three kids for a billion (or whatever amount), he would lose their amatuer status.

I fail to see any way that an endorsement deal wouldn't disqualify all three for their NCAA eligibility.

[WVRed]

I fail to see any way that an endorsement deal wouldn't disqualify all three for their NCAA eligibility.

Unless he meant after they did their one year in college.

[Slyder]

Figured he deserves his own thread.

For those who live under a rock, Ball has made some rather controversial claims:

Saying his son could handle Steph Curry

Saying his son would only play for the Lakers

Saying his starting price for a shoe deal for all three of his sons was a BILLION dollars.

Saying he could have beaten Michael Jordan in his prime. (Averaged 2.2 PPG at Washington State)

Feuding with Charles Barkley to where Barkley is wearing the team jersey of who UCLA is playing until UCLA loses .

It's also got his own Twitter hashtag, #LaVarBallSays

Is this for real or a way to promote his business (Ballislife) or does he really believe what he says?

He's no different than the countless other blabbering idiots on the various networks (most of ESPN's lineup of hosts) in trying to get paid for saying stupid crap. He needs to becareful, his sons haven't even gotten out of high school yet but he knows they're all going NBA. He's being a self-a hole... He's setting all 3 of his sons up to fail.

[RiverRat13]

https://twitter.com/levarburton/status/842849238610407424

[Boston Red]

Attention *****

[WVRed]

He's no different than the countless other blabbering idiots on the various networks (most of ESPN's lineup of hosts) in trying to get paid for saying stupid crap. He needs to becareful, his sons haven't even gotten out of high school yet but he knows they're all going NBA. He's being a self-a hole... He's setting all 3 of his sons up to fail.

Skip Bayless has made a career of it.

[WVRed]

Wow, if this is true, he is a real piece of you know what:

http://www.armchairallamericans.com/member-ball-family-lavar-has-not-allowed-children-to-see-sick-mother/


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[Stray]

Honestly man what LaVar is doing is so obvious. He's got some kids who have star potential and his riding that wave. What bothers me most about it are the various networks and outlets who keep giving him a platform to steal his kid's limelight.

On one hand he believes his sons are the best players in the world, and ok I'm not even gonna judge him on that...that's dad stuff. But it's the rest that's gross.

His boys should be able to make their own fame w/o having to live up to what he laid out in front of them.

[Stray]

https://twitter.com/levarburton/status/842849238610407424

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

[WVRed]

Honestly man what LaVar is doing is so obvious. He's got some kids who have star potential and his riding that wave. What bothers me most about it are the various networks and outlets who keep giving him a platform to steal his kid's limelight.

On one hand he believes his sons are the best players in the world, and ok I'm not even gonna judge him on that...that's dad stuff. But it's the rest that's gross.

His boys should be able to make their own fame w/o having to live up to what he laid out in front of them.

Honestly if anything from the link I posted is true I hope people stop giving him the attention he is craving. It's disgusting.

[Joseph]

Who?

[marcshoe]

This is me, apparently:

http://thumbs.imagekind.com/4642784_650/Do-You-Live-Under-a-Rock_art.jpg?v=1392280740

[WVRed]

I feel less intelligent for watching this:

http://deadspin.com/lavar-ball-vs-stephen-a-smith-made-for-some-profoundl-1793584554?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitte r&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow


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[Joseph]

I feel less intelligent for watching this:

http://deadspin.com/lavar-ball-vs-stephen-a-smith-made-for-some-profoundl-1793584554?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitte r&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow


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You are. And now so am I. Thanks a lot pal.

[Roy Tucker]

Someone ought to tell Mr. Ball to STFU.

[Assembly Hall]

Who is getting a pair!!!!!!!

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/look-lavar-lonzo-ball-release-first-big-baller-brand-sneaker-and-its-only-495/

[WVRed]

Who is getting a pair!!!!!!!

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/look-lavar-lonzo-ball-release-first-big-baller-brand-sneaker-and-its-only-495/

The only way this even comes close to working is if Lonzo becomes the next Kobe, LeBron, or MJ.

In other words:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170506/ceaa49880869702b68e83654e512b878.jpeg

[Slyder]

#stopmakingSTUPIDpeoplefamous. This guy is making Marv Marinovich look like Dad of the Year material.

LaVar is digging a hole that none of his sons is going to live up to... if he doesn't sabotage them outright before they even get that opportunity.

[RedTeamGo!]

Apparently that shoe made $150,000 on the first day.

[Slyder]

Apparently that show made $150,000 on the first day.

... *makes a note never to mention UCLA as a school*

as most of those idiots are probably student/alumni there.

[WVRed]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sports/news/lavar-ball-tells-fs1-host-stay-lane-testy-interview-190733413.html

Please, Magic, take Fox.


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[TRF]

I feel less intelligent for watching this:

http://deadspin.com/lavar-ball-vs-stephen-a-smith-made-for-some-profoundl-1793584554?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitte r&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow


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I might just hate you.

[Slyder]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sports/news/lavar-ball-tells-fs1-host-stay-lane-testy-interview-190733413.html

Please, Magic, take Fox.


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This guy is making me want to root against his son... Marv Marinovich should be telling this guy to chill the **** out.

[RiverRat13]

If the Lakers feel Ball is the best player they should take him. Year One of LaVar Ball the Sideshow will be frustrating, but after that I anticipate LaVar Ball fatigue. The media will eventually get the hint that nobody cares what the guy says.

[Kingspoint]

I love gauging stupid Lakers fans for ten times the cost of a ticket, but most of those fans became Clippers fans then switched over to the Warriors a few years ago. I'd like to see the Lakers be relevant again simply for the selfish reason that the bandwagon jumpers will raise the value of their tickets and help me to pay for my season tickets.

The mess that is the Lakers Front Office deserves Lavar Ball and the 3-ring circus that goes with it, and is probably the only franchise that could handle it. Those bandwagon Warriors fans give a good franchise a bad name. Would love to see a mass migration back to Los Angeles. Bandwagon Clipper fans will leave in droves this Summer, probably jumping onto the Lakers' Buss.

[Kingspoint]

If the Lakers feel Ball is the best player they should take him. Year One of LaVar Ball the Sideshow will be frustrating, but after that I anticipate LaVar Ball fatigue. The media will eventually get the hint that nobody cares what the guy says.

It won't stop in Los Angeles, the homebase of what made the Kardashians World Superstars. It will explode exponentially.

[Revering4Blue]

My feelings about LaVar Ball...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkQ5oARNxLU

[Revering4Blue]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sports/news/lavar-ball-tells-fs1-host-stay-lane-testy-interview-190733413.html

Please, Magic, take Fox.


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76ers and Suns fans: Please, Magic, take Ball.

[WVRed]

This is a UK sports website so there is some bias, but Drew Franklin lays out perfectly why the Lakers should take Fox over Ball:

Making The Case For Drafting Fox Over Ball In L.A.
http://kentuckysportsradio.com/nba-cats/making-the-case-for-drafting-fox-over-ball-in-l-a/

If I were Magic, I'd call a meeting with both of them beforehand and tell LaVar that he needs to take a seat and let Lonzo do his thing. No ripping the team through the media every time something goes wrong and him inserting himself into the Lakers business. If he refuses, the Lakers will take someone else or select him at 28 if LaVar does enough damage to his sons draft stock.


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[cumberlandreds]

Wouldn't you just love to see Lavar and Lonzo sitting at their table all alone about midnight on draft night? It won't happen but its a funny thought.

[Chip R]

I feel bad for Lonzo. His dad keeps writing checks that Lonzo may not be able to cash - metaphorically speaking.

[Slyder]

I feel bad for Lonzo. His dad keeps writing checks that Lonzo may not be able to cash - metaphorically speaking.

The single greatest thing Lonzo could do right now is be a man and tell his dad to shut up and sit down. I wouldn't have him on my draft board at all, the headaches involved with his dad trying to usurp your franchise for his own marketing would make me want to push him over Niagra Falls without a barrel.

[bucksfan2]

Part of me says good for LaVar, he loves his son and is all in on him.

The realistic part of me says he is the dad who is living vicariously through his son. I don't have an issue with what he is doing vis a vis Big Baller Brand. I wouldn't be caught dead in BBB gear, nor would I ever pay $495 for a pair of shoes. I also think he was dead wrong in going after Kristine Leahy and also think Cowherd had no backbone as he sat there and let LaVar continue without stepping in and stopping it. He kinda prodded the "fight" along instead of standing up for his employee.

I think now is the time that all these networks need to step away from this guy. Its pretty evident he has no respect for anyone who has an opposing viewpoint. He is spewing out garbage constantly seeing what will stick to the wall. If you quit covering him, he will fade away.

[RedTeamGo!]

Part of me says good for LaVar, he loves his son and is all in on him.

The realistic part of me says he is the dad who is living vicariously through his son. I don't have an issue with what he is doing vis a vis Big Baller Brand. I wouldn't be caught dead in BBB gear, nor would I ever pay $495 for a pair of shoes. I also think he was dead wrong in going after Kristine Leahy and also think Cowherd had no backbone as he sat there and let LaVar continue without stepping in and stopping it. He kinda prodded the "fight" along instead of standing up for his employee.

I think now is the time that all these networks need to step away from this guy. Its pretty evident he has no respect for anyone who has an opposing viewpoint. He is spewing out garbage constantly seeing what will stick to the wall. If you quit covering him, he will fade away.

The networks would step away if they weren't starving for viewers. FS1 is in Jerry springer mode and ESPN is getting there.

[Boston Red]

It would be amazing if Ball somehow ended up drafted by Utah. I know it's impossible, but it would be fantastic. LaVar Ball in SLC is a reality show I might actually watch.

[WVRed]

The networks would step away if they weren't starving for viewers. FS1 is in Jerry springer mode and ESPN is getting there.

And even if the networks didn't provide an outlet, social media would.

ESPN has been in Jerry Springer mode since they gave major airtime to the likes of Skip Bayless, Stephen A Smith, Tony Kornheiser, and Mike Wilbon.

I'm just waiting for one of the networks to hire edp445 as a commentator for the Eagles. (Not posting anything but just google it. It's NSFW, kids, wife, or anybody decent)

[Chip R]

The networks would step away if they weren't starving for viewers. FS1 is in Jerry springer mode and ESPN is getting there.

Bill Simmons summed it up pretty well the other night on Twitter

"Both ESPN and FS1 loved Lavar Ball, knew he was a loose cannon and milked every ounce of ratings/content/attention from him that they could."

"Their dream scenario was Lavar screwing up on 1 of these live shows so they could milk another 5 days of content out of it. And it happened."

That's what it's all about these days; controversial figures saying outrageous stuff to get ratings and clicks.

[M2]

It would be amazing if Ball somehow ended up drafted by Utah. I know it's impossible, but it would be fantastic. LaVar Ball in SLC is a reality show I might actually watch.

Sacramento would do just fine too.

[WVRed]

Sacramento would do just fine too.

Two scenarios I'm pulling for:

1. LA bypasses on Ball and takes Fox or Josh Jackson.

2. LA takes Ball but packages him in a deal for either Paul George or Jimmy Butler.

If number one happens, then I want to see him fall into the late first just to watch LaVar squirm. Sad part is, they'll probably refuse to sign the rookie contract, call it a conspiracy, and go overseas and re enter the draft next year.

[Griffey012]

For everyone ripping on LaVar, the guy has received an absurd amount of free publicity. He knows what drives the media and ratings in this day an age. He is basically taking the approach Trump used to dominate the media and attention en route to the presidency. Make bold claim, media explodes because of it, tons of free airtime.

[Boston Red]

For everyone ripping on LaVar, the guy has received an absurd amount of free publicity.

Yes, I make a conscious effort to avoid news stories about him. Don't want to reward the hypers with clicks.

[Kingspoint]

I do not watch ESPN,
Nor FS1, said Sam I Am.

[Kingspoint]

If Jerry West was still running the Lakers, they wouldn't have been bad enough to begin with to have this pick, but he would have a private conversation with the Son telling him directly that he has too much baggage to even have a 2nd Round pick used on him. He'd never take him, but he'd give it to him straight and give him a chance to avoid having his Father ruin a promising career. This has major trainwreck written all over it. Team chemistry is critical in the NBA. So many "potential" Superstars don't get it. If he fell to Portland, I know for a fact we'd pass. No more bad chemistry players for this franchise.

[WVRed]

If Jerry West was still running the Lakers, they wouldn't have been bad enough to begin with to have this pick, but he would have a private conversation with the Son telling him directly that he has too much baggage to even have a 2nd Round pick used on him. He'd never take him, but he'd give it to him straight and give him a chance to avoid having his Father ruin a promising career. This has major trainwreck written all over it. Team chemistry is critical in the NBA. So many "potential" Superstars don't get it. If he fell to Portland, I know for a fact we'd pass. No more bad chemistry players for this franchise.

The problem is the way the media works now LaVar would go to the media with the comments made, call Jerry West a "hater" and how much he loves his son and certain people would eat it up.

The family just needs a major dose of humility and I don't know if a tumble in the draft would even do it.

[WVRed]

It's official, LaVar Ball is now the Kanye West of NBA basketball.

https://www.google.com/amp/uproxx.com/dimemag/lavar-ball-kyrie-irving-mother-undisputed/amp/


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[Donder]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170521/96fe84df4d8a8d4d1f90d2a9ba7879fe.jpg

[WVRed]

In other news, Magic Johnson tells LaVar Ball that he has HIV.

http://www.totalprosports.com/2017/07/07/lavar-ball-admitted-to-magic-johnson-his-act-is-all-marketing/


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[WVRed]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20135974/lavar-ball-pulls-big-ballers-aau-team-court-receiving-technical-foul


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[Bob Sheed]

Many a lesson to be learned in baseball. One being that life isn't always fair.

[Donder]

More like Big Bawler, am I right?

[Chip R]

Any publicity is good publicity.

[Slyder]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20135974/lavar-ball-pulls-big-ballers-aau-team-court-receiving-technical-foul


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Someone needs to wahhhh mblance. This ******* needs to go away. Garbage like him is why we can't keep young referees across all sports.

Hey moron, if you're so great grab you a whistle and get your "glory days" reliving coat tail riding fat ass out there and show us how its done.

[Chip R]

If LaVar didn't do what he does, Lonzo would not have been a top pick and he may not have gone to the Lakers. Not saying that Lonzo isn't good but his dad has hyped him to the moon. He's no dummy. As Griffey012 said, he knows how to play the media. We may not like it but we're not ignoring it.

[WVRed]

If LaVar didn't do what he does, Lonzo would not have been a top pick and he may not have gone to the Lakers. Not saying that Lonzo isn't good but his dad has hyped him to the moon. He's no dummy. As Griffey012 said, he knows how to play the media. We may not like it but we're not ignoring it.

I'm just wondering how long before a coach somewhere at either the college or NBA level does something like this. LaVar is LaVar but it's not like we aren't close to it happening at those levels.

[Chip R]

I'm just wondering how long before a coach somewhere at either the college or NBA level does something like this. LaVar is LaVar but it's not like we aren't close to it happening at those levels.

I'm unclear on what you mean. Coaches overhyping players has been going on forever.

[WVRed]

I'm unclear on what you mean. Coaches overhyping players has been going on forever.

Taking your ball and going home.

[dougdirt]

Taking your ball and going home.

There's way too much money at the college level for that to happen there.

[Griffey012]

Taking your ball and going home.

I think the only way this could ever happen would be such poor officiating the coach is concerned for his players safety. As much as people complain about referring at the NCAA level, it is nowhere near as bad as some officiating in the youth ranks. I had a basketball coach growing up pull our team off mid game and forfeit because the opposing team was playing football while we were trying to play basketball and getting away with it. Someone on our team was going to end up seriously injured.

[bounty37h]

I had a baseball coach pull us off the field one game when the umps seemed to have it out for us. He even commented he was trying to speed the game up cause his wife was cooking at home. When the called a ball a strike again our coach pulled us off the field and told the ump to go eat (along with a few other things he could do if he so chose)

[Chip R]

Taking your ball and going home.

I see. I know Bobby Knight did that once when they were playing the Soviets in an exhibition in Bloomington. But we have to remember that LaVar isn't really a coach. There just happened to be cameras at this game. How many other AAU games are there cameras at? If there weren't cameras there, do you think he would have pulled the team off the floor? If he doesn't do anything would he be a story? Everything he does is for publicity.

[Slyder]

If LaVar didn't do what he does, Lonzo would not have been a top pick and he may not have gone to the Lakers. Not saying that Lonzo isn't good but his dad has hyped him to the moon. He's no dummy. As Griffey012 said, he knows how to play the media. We may not like it but we're not ignoring it.

I try to ignore him as much as I Can. When I hear about cases like this my experience takes control, 90% of the time the coach is just being a brat. With his track record I would bump that up to 100% of the time until I see video that otherwise then its him making himself the show rather than coaching players. Quoting from the article "That's not a foul" doesn't lead me to anything other than he was pissed because the ref wasn't asking him if it was okay to call something from across the floor which is where I'm sure LaVar was.

#stopmakingstupidpeoplefamous.

[Assembly Hall]

I see. I know Bobby Knight did that once when they were playing the Soviets in an exhibition in Bloomington.

I remember that game quite well. The Soviets committed a lane violation and the refs allowed them to get away with. Knight, as usual, came unglued and received 3 technical fouls. The head ref ordered Bobby to leave the court and Knight replied back that if he went his team was going with him. The game was ruled a forfeit. But the caveat is the next day, Knight apologized for his actions.

[Slyder]

I think the only way this could ever happen would be such poor officiating the coach is concerned for his players safety. As much as people complain about referring at the NCAA level, it is nowhere near as bad as some officiating in the youth ranks. I had a basketball coach growing up pull our team off mid game and forfeit because the opposing team was playing football while we were trying to play basketball and getting away with it. Someone on our team was going to end up seriously injured.

Needless to say it wasnt. The incident was about a reach foul call....
https://bars.tl/Vu6u/I6wnfEGZ2E

There's the video of the walk off. If I'm AAU I'm telling him he can't even sit in the crowd for stupid crap like this.

[Chip R]

I remember that game quite well. The Soviets committed a lane violation and the refs allowed them to get away with. Knight, as usual, came unglued and received 3 technical fouls. The head ref ordered Bobby to leave the court and Knight replied back that if he went his team was going with him. The game was ruled a forfeit. But the caveat is the next day, Knight apologized for his actions.

Right. But everyone remembers him pulling the team from the floor but almost no one remembers the subsequent apology. A newspaper can make a mistake and then print a retraction but everyone remembers the mistake. LaVar may have been upset at the foul call but every coach has complained about foul calls and didn't take their teams off the floor. He knows that if he just complains about the call like every other coach no one will care. But if he does something drastic in protest - like this - it's going to be news and people will talk about it for several days after. The thing we have to realize about this guy is that his whole life is a reality show. Everything he says or does is for effect. Publicly the NBA may be disdainful of his antics but privately they have to be rubbing their hands in glee. It's more publicity for their league in a period where there isn't usually a lot of attention paid to them. It's going to continue during the season as well. If I ran the Lakers, I'd make sure he was sitting courtside with Jack and Dyan and the rest of the celebrities and make sure the cameras catch everything he does. I put the over-under on games before he publicly complains about something that happened to Lonzo at 3. Not the usual moaning and groaning about a foul but something bigger like the refs let his opponents get away with rough play because they don't like him.

[Assembly Hall]

Right. But everyone remembers him pulling the team from the floor but almost no one remembers the subsequent apology. A newspaper can make a mistake and then print a retraction but everyone remembers the mistake. LaVar may have been upset at the foul call but every coach has complained about foul calls and didn't take their teams off the floor. He knows that if he just complains about the call like every other coach no one will care. But if he does something drastic in protest - like this - it's going to be news and people will talk about it for several days after. The thing we have to realize about this guy is that his whole life is a reality show. Everything he says or does is for effect. Publicly the NBA may be disdainful of his antics but privately they have to be rubbing their hands in glee. It's more publicity for their league in a period where there isn't usually a lot of attention paid to them. It's going to continue during the season as well. If I ran the Lakers, I'd make sure he was sitting courtside with Jack and Dyan and the rest of the celebrities and make sure the cameras catch everything he does. I put the over-under on games before he publicly complains about something that happened to Lonzo at 3. Not the usual moaning and groaning about a foul but something bigger like the refs let his opponents get away with rough play because they don't like him.

Right on, dead on, and spot on.

[WVRed]

And LaVar pulls his team off the floor again. Adidas even caved and replaced the ref who t'ed him up in the first half.

Shame though because it was essentially the matchup of two top PGs in LaMelo and Immanuel Quickley (ironically enough, a major UK lean)

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20184962/adidas-officials-pressure-referees-avoid-calling-technical-fouls-lavar-ball


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[WVRed]

Not LaVar Ball, but another team following in his footsteps:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/20282356/youth-basketball-team-featuring-5-star-recruit-bol-bol-forfeits-game-officiating


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[Slyder]

Not LaVar Ball, but another team following in his footsteps:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/20282356/youth-basketball-team-featuring-5-star-recruit-bol-bol-forfeits-game-officiating


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Tournaments need to start fining and dropping the hammer on these a-hole "coaches".

This clown is worst than Trump with the name dropping and bs spewing about refs more interested in watching Bol play. He tall, Great, moving on.