Big Baller

[calamity]

Say what you will about Mr Ball (father of young NBA stars Lonzo and LeMelo Ball). I'll argue he is exactly the kind of father kids need today--Involved. Ok, maybe he's a little over the top. But, in a way that is like arguing he is too involved. And, sorry, when it comes to youth today, a parent can never be too involved.

Besides, Daddy Ball called this one correctly.

Give LaVar some credit here: He was right about his family brand being the value-add to the NCAA, not vice versa. And he was smart enough to appreciate the benefit of his teenage hoops prodigy getting handsomely paid to play against grown men before jumping to the NBA. Instead of being a prisoner to rudimentary college schemes, LaMelo became the ultimate facilitator for a disparate array of teammates, and all while alloying a mixture of coaching styles and philosophies. The intense hothousing didn’t just remake him into a surefire NBA lottery pick with an unselfish flare that has become his trademark; it made him even better out of the box than Lonzo – who only just became a more credible shooting threat this year, even as LaMelo came out swishing at a 45% clip.

Think about that. A rookie playing splash and hitting at 45%! Who does that? And, he's not just Sir Chuck, like say Kyrie. LaMelo can dish too. In fact, his dish is about the craziest skills seen since White Chocolate played in the league. Melo may even be better than Jason Williams. Williams did not win ROTY, but he did catch a drug suspension. We can pretty much take to the bank that none of Daddy Ball's kids are going to mess up their NBA careers by snorting dope.

"OK, LaMelo lit up Charlotte, but the kid got hurt," people might say. I'll even concede the point. But, that point also proves that daddy was thinking ahead--way ahead.

If LaMelo had gone to college and broken his wrist in the NCAA tournament rather than the NBA, the talk right now would be about how he could lose millions by dropping down the board in the upcoming draft. Indeed, one of the most striking parts of this year’s tournament has been Michigan’s Isaiah Livers, whose own NBA draft prospects could be dented by a foot injury, wearing a T-shirt hashtagged “NotNCAAProperty”.

How LaVar and LaMelo Ball outsmarted the student-athlete industrial complex

The NBA’s most notorious father gave plenty of prophecies that failed to come true. But it’s hard to argue his plans for his youngest son haven’t worked out

www.theguardian.com

 

[calamity]

No takers?

Maybe I should have focused more on young athletes beating the system: stars avoiding the NCAA’s “one and done” farce; rather than just zeroing in on Big Daddy. But the Ball family was the biggest name and LaMelo the biggest star to tell the NCAA to go **** themselves, especially since they succeeded.

 

[Bucky]

No takers?

Maybe I should have focused more on young athletes beating the system: stars avoiding the NCAA’s “one and done” farce; rather than just zeroing in on Big Daddy. But the Ball family was the biggest name and LaMelo the biggest star to tell the NCAA to go **** themselves, especially since they succeeded.

LaVar Ball gave bad advice to his middle son who should be a junior at UCLA celebrating a sweet 16 victory. Instead after dealing with life adversity in China, LiAngelo Ball ran away from his problem and is unemployed living in the shadows of his two brothers.

He never took accountability. He got bad parenting advice.

 

[calamity]

LaVar Ball gave bad advice to his middle son who should be a junior at UCLA celebrating a sweet 16 victory. Instead after dealing with life adversity in China, LiAngelo Ball ran away from his problem and is unemployed living in the shadows of his two brothers.

He never took accountability. He got bad parenting advice.

He never would have been a starter on the Bruins. Besides...

Ball was suspended indefinitely from the UCLA basketball program.[53] On December 4, he announced that he planned to withdraw from UCLA;[54] his father LaVar had grown frustrated over the length of the suspension. Had Ball stayed at UCLA, he would have remained suspended for the rest of the season.

 

[Bucky]

He never would have been a starter on the Bruins.

He would be in a better life situation if he took the suspension like a man, like his two teammates that stayed, earned his teams/school/communities trust back.

He would have a college degree and likely go at least drafted in the NBA after his senior season.

What is he now?

 

[calamity]

He would be in a better life situation if he took the suspension like a man, like his two teammates that stayed, earned his teams/school/communities trust back.

He would have a college degree and likely go at least drafted in the NBA after his senior season.

What is he now?

I agree that he should have pursued his education. A little Jordan like work ethic might have gone a long way toward a solid sophomore season as well.