Tag: LaMelo Ball

LiAngelo Ball Signs with Los Angeles…in the League LaVar Ball Started

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Yahoo – After working out with a number of NBA teams ahead of the 2018 NBA draft, LiAngelo Ball has found a home — in the Junior Ball Association. Per a release sent Monday, LiAngelo Ball will indeed play in the league started by his dad, LaVar Ball. He will also play on the Los Angeles Ballers team with his brother, LaMelo.

I would be doing a disservice to our fans if I didn’t chime in on the latest Ball family news. To be honest, I’ve fallen off on my viewership of Ball in the Family, which ain’t terrible. The show does a good job of painting LaVar as a guy that just wants the best for his family at all costs more so than the overbearing asshole we see popping off in the media piggybacking off his son’s fame. Thats probablyyy the exact intent of the show though so I won’t be putting LaVar into the parenting hall of fame or anything, but its worth checking out. Plus it is produced by Bunim and Murray so if you’ve watched just about any reality TV show in the past 20 years then you’ll feel oddly at home watching this on Facebook of all places.

Now with all the niceties out of the way, lets get to the latest Ball family news. Remember when LaVar Ball screamed from the rooftop that there should be a league where young guys can play and develop their game while also getting paid, without having to go to places like, oh ya know, motherfucking Lithuania?? Well he actually went and made that league; the Junior Ball Association. We actually blogged about this a while back and as we said, its not the worst idea.

“The modern day Vince McMahon just continues to roll along with his idea du jour; an alternative basketball league to compete with the NCAA. It’s geared at top players who don’t want to go to college, or ya know shit holes like Lithuania. Ya think LaMelo and LiAngelo might prefer playing in this league rather than taking trains and ferrys to Baltic League games in Kiev?

I gotta admit, this guy is COCKY, and it is contagious. Because on its face, its not a bad idea. If the NBA is so stuck on its “One and Done” rule (which it may actually get rid of sooner than later) then whats the point of a guy going to Duke for 8 months and showing up to a handful of classes posing as a college student like he’s in Never Been Kissed?”

With that being said LiAngelo Ball signing with and getting paid to play in the JBA, after failing to get drafted in the NBA or latch on with a summer league team, is downright laughable.

“At age 19, Ball was not selected in the 2018 NBA draft, nor did he sign on with an NBA Summer League team. Weeks ago, in an interview with NiceKicks.com, Ball said he was not going to play in the JBA. “I feel like that’s taking a step back for me,” he said June 27 to Nice Kicks. “If I have to play in the G-League then that’s what it’s going to be. I’m not running away from the work.”

Whoops.

This was to be expected as Woj said he had “no shot” of getting drafted and literally quoted GMs as laughing about the thought. Ouch.

So now we turn to the league that dad started. For anyone buried in student loans who has friends or coworkers that are buying houses and leasing out condos they’ve bought because they came from a well off family — this shit has to drive you insane.

LiAngelo seems like a nice enough dude besides the whole nearly starting World War III between the US and China because he needed to shoplift some fresh shades. Still to this day, avoiding an international incident after all that is DT45’s greatest accomplishment.

But I just cannot see this news without laughing at how soft it comes off. Just think about every rich kid you know, its hard to truly respect someone that has had it that easy.
Imagine you couldn’t get a job at the company you wanted to work for so your dad just up and makes a company for you to work at and get paid? That sounds like something out of a sitcom.

Like Ray Romano’s kid doesn’t make the baseball team so Ray and Robert start their own team and put all their own money into it. Sure, Debra would probably bitch and moan about it for the whole 22 minutes, but Ray doesn’t give a shit about Debra, hasn’t for years. Hilarity ensues.

But hey, play the hand your dealt I guess. Lonzo was a legit NCAA stud and top NBA draft pick. LiAngelo probably only got recruited to play at UCLA because of his brother. Meanwhile, the youngest of the three, LaMelo, has some potential to make the NBA. So if you’re the middle brother who’s stuck in no mans land, might as well take dad’s money, play ball in Los Angeles, all while still getting to put “Professional Athlete” on your LinkedIn page.

The Ball Brothers Put Up BUCKETS in Lithuania, Score 60 Combined Points

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Yahoo – Two days after being held scoreless in their Lithuanian League play debut, the adventures of LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball continued on Monday as the pair got back into a groove and delivered the best performances of their brief professional careers. In Vytautus’ 130-93 win over BC Lietuvos, the Ball brothers delivered an offensive tour de force right out of their Chino Hills days by producing nearly half of Vytautus’ scoring total. LaMelo scored a game-high 31 points, dished 11 assists and recorded five steals. LiAngelo did most of his damage in the low post and at the rim, but wasn’t far behind LaMelo’s team-high, chipping in 29 points of his own.

At first glance this looks like a great sports story; the Ball brothers scored a combined 60 points and seem like they’re growing into bonafide Big Ballers. Until you see this:

“The Big Baller Brand Challenge Games have been good to the Ball brothers. The Big Baller Brand Challenge Games is a five-game exhibition that was created by the Ball family patriarch in order to get his two sons more playing time on their Lithuanian club and to build their confidence.”

Get the fuck out of here. LaVar is now setting up Lithuanian tournaments to get his sons more PT? Even the refs are wearing BBB branded jerseys. I’m legitimately not kidding, look:

Apparently this game was against a “second-division team” though. So as the infamous Winston Wolf would say:

It is cool seeing two brothers throwing each other alley oops like this though. Who knows where and when you want the ball better than your own brosef?

But then, again, you see shit like this. Up 40+ points LaMelo tries to throw an alley oop to himself off the glass (and fails miserably).

This is the AAU/Lavar Ball-ification of sports. If some kid tried that on me in a blowout I would absolutely sweep the leg. Some 35 year old pissed off player that never made it in the NBA is going to snuff one of these kids for antics like this.

All in all, 60 points is 60 points so its fun to actually see these guys put up some buckets after what seems like 2 years of shit talking from the dad. Do it against an actual team in an actual game not sponsored by your father though and I’ll consider myself impressed. Until then?

LiAngelo Ball is Already Fighting Off Female Fans in Lithuania

By on • ( Leave a comment )

USA Today – LiAngelo Ball didn’t say much during his introductory press conference with Prienu Vytautas on Friday. He did, however, manage to make news while sandwiched between LaMelo and LaVar Ball. At the end of the presser, a Lithuanian reporter asked Gelo if he had a girlfriend and if he’d like to go out with her. “I just came here to play,” LiAngelo said sheepishly. When pressed for a “yes” or “no” answer on her offer, Gelo replied simply, “No comment.”

GET IT, Gelo! Barely in Lithuania a week and you already got local female reporters risking it all to take a shot. I suppose being a public access sports reporter in Lithuania probably ain’t paying Katie Nolan money, but still impressive nonetheless.

LiAngelo may end up meeting a nice Lithuanian girl and settling down in Kiev to start a family. Just can that whole NBA dream after he averages 4 points a game for Prienu Vytautas. Who knows?

PS – I know a hot topic recently has been NBA coaches saying how “disgusted” they are with ESPN reporting everything LaVar Ball says, but the guy is popular and gets clicks. Thems the rules. How about USA Today though? They created a goddamnit subdomain called “Lonzo Wire.”

Rick Carlisle literally just puked seeing that. Get them clicks, USA Today. As the wise Missy Elliott once said:

LaVar Ball Starting His Own Basketball League to Compete With the NCAA

By on • ( 2 Comments )

ESPN – LaVar Ball said Wednesday that he’s launching a basketball league for nationally-ranked players who have graduated from high school but don’t want to go to college. Ball’s Junior Basketball Association, which he says is fully funded by his Big Baller Brand, plans to pay the lowest-ranked player a salary of $3,000 a month and the best player $10,000 a month, Ball said. Ball is looking for 80 players to fill 10 teams that will seek to play at NBA arenas in Los Angeles, Dallas, Brooklyn and Atlanta.“Getting these players is going to be easy,” Ball told ESPN. “This is giving guys a chance to get a jump start on their career, to be seen by pro scouts, and we’re going to pay them because someone has to pay these kids.”

The modern day Vince McMahon just continues to roll along with his idea du jour; an alternative basketball league to compete with the NCAA. It’s geared at top players who don’t want to go to college, or ya know shit holes like Lithuania. Ya think LaMelo and LiAngelo might prefer playing in this league rather than taking trains and ferrys to Baltic League games in Kiev?

I gotta admit, this guy is COCKY, and it is contagious. Because on its face, its not a bad idea. If the NBA is so stuck on its “One and Done” rule (which it may actually get rid of sooner than later) then whats the point of a guy going to Duke for 8 months and showing up to a handful of classes posing as a college student like he’s in Never Been Kissed?

The NCAA is more corrupt than a North Korean election so a little competition to maybe keep them on their toes can’t hurt. Having a league that follows pro-style rules makes a ton of sense too.

“Ball said the rules of his league will follow those of the NBA instead of college — 12-minute quarters and a pro 3-point line.”

Having wildly different rules for college and the pros has never made any sense to me. Especially when leagues like the NBA and the NFL use the NCAA as a de facto minor league system. Why make the 3 point line deeper after turning pro instead of just having players get used to it in college and judge them all accordingly? Why do college football players only need to get one foot down for a catch, but in the NFL you need two?

Quotes like this though don’t really help the perception that this is just all a marketing scheme to further LaVar’s own brand.

“Ball said since Big Baller Brand is promoting the league, all players must agree to wear only Big Baller Brand products, including BBB shoes on the court. “We’ll give it to them all,” Ball said. “They’ll be wearing our uniform, our shoes, our T-shirts and our hoodies.”

Don’t get me wrong, nobody thinks LaVar Ball is here to save the manatees. The honesty and transparency is refreshing when compared to the toxic hypocrisy that is the NCAA, but in order to succeed this will need to be more than the latest example of LaVar Ball hawking garbage at an exorbitant price.

So if you’re a high school grad that doesn’t wanna play overseas and risk going to Chinese prison for swiping some sweet shades, then the Big Baller Brand league is for you. Ya know until the NBA inevitably gets rid of the “One and Done” rule, then this league will collapse faster than an IKEA kitchen table.

LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball Both Turning Pro to Play Together in Lithuania

By on • ( 1 Comment )

ESPN – LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball have reached an agreement to sign professional basketball deals with Lithuanian club Prienu Vytautas, the team’s coach/GM Virginijus Seskus and Ball family agent Harrison Gaines told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. After ESPN reported on the seriousness of the talks between the Ball brothers and the European team on Monday afternoon, the two sides finalized the agreement hours later.

This week in LaVar Ball’s continued efforts to ruin his kids lives, dad is sending his kids off to go play professionally in LITHUANIA! Ball in the Family season 3 is going to be fucking must watch TV. You got LiAngelo going to Chinese prison for shoplifting only to be saved by Donald Trump, LaVar pulling LaMelo out of high school and then pulling LiAngelo out of UCLA, and now both of Lonzo’s brothers with questionable basketball talent will be going pro and playing together in Lithuania.

Real talk though, I understand LaVar’s want to turn all three of his sons into NBA players, but at what cost?

This is not UCLA. To quote a morbid scene from the movie 300, this will not be over quickly, you will not enjoy this.

“Prienu Vytautas, or BC Prienai as it’s often called, is a low-level club from a small, non-English speaking village of roughly 10,000 people in southern Lithuania. The team has been grappling with financial issues and started the season losing eight of its first 12 games in the Lithuanian league…The club plays in a 1,700-seat arena; 500 of those seats are reserved for team sponsors and their friends. Tickets cost around 5 euros. The team has no general manager and doesn’t practice regularly due to the poor financial situation.”

Oh this should go swimmingly.

By all the reports I’ve read from the heavy hitters like Woj, LiAngelo is not considered an NBA prospect. Dan Wetzel said scouts told him LiAngelo’s best bet was to transfer to a mid-major and stay for four years, not burn every bridge and go play in a third world country. LaMelo may have a shot at the NBA, but he’s 16. Going from high school to playing against grown ass men in Lithuania does not seem like the smart route.

As Dan Wetzel put it on Yahoo:

“[LaMelo] will be eligible for the 2019 NBA draft and there is plenty to lose playing against grown men in the Lithuanian and Baltic leagues. LaMelo is 16. The two point guards currently on the Vytautas roster are 28 and 32. This isn’t the Nike AAU Peach Jam tournament…LiAngelo is not considered an NBA prospect at this time, no matter what LaVar says.

These kids grew up rich and pampered in sunny California with every advantage, raised by an overbearing father who controlled everything for them. Now these two are going overseas to a country where they don’t speak English to play for a team where they’re not even guaranteed playing time, let alone success. These two kids quit high school and quit UCLA after things didn’t go their way. Quitting this time would probably be a death knell to any serious NBA aspirations. Its sink or swim time boys.

LaVar Ball Continues Quest to Ruin His Kids Lives, Pulls LiAngelo Ball from UCLA

By on • ( 1 Comment )

TMZ – It’s a stunning move … LiAngelo Ball will no longer be on the UCLA basketball team and, in fact, he will not be a student at UCLA … because his father, LaVar Ball, is removing him from the institution … TMZ Sports has learned.  As you know, LiAngelo was indefinitely suspended from the team after he stole from several stores during a trip to China. LiAngelo was placed on house arrest but was sprung after Trump and others went to bat for him.

It was crazy enough when LaVar Ball took his youngest kid, LaMelo, out of high school. But at least that could kind of be defended by saying hey the family is rich and famous and he wants the kid to travel and train full-time while not being bothered by things like “studying or “learning to play with teammates.” Pulling LiAngelo Ball out of UCLA? Thats fucking nonsensical. LiAngelo, while dumb enough to shoplift in China, is still a college student AKA a goddamn adult. So pulling him out of school and off of a promising D1 basketball team is a lot different than just yanking your 15 year old son out of high school.

Its just another delusional move from the guy who thinks he can somehow mold all 3 of his kids into elite NBA athletes by himself alone. And this part?

We’re told LaVar believes the suspension was unfair, especially since the charges were dropped. LaVar’s people tell TMZ Sports the famous dad thinks, “There’s no need to break down a kid’s spirit for making a mistake.”

The kid was shoplifting in fucking CHINA. He’s lucky he’s not in Chinese prison still. I think a little suspension from UCLA was a pretty fair response.

Real question though, what’s he do with LiAngelo? Just take the time off to train? If I’m an NBA executive I’m not going near the kid who didn’t even play a game in college and just expect him to jump right into the NBA. I would say he could go play ball overseas, but if I’m him I’m probably never leaving the United States again. Part of me can’t help but think its another storyline for their reality show as LaVar looks to overtake the Kardashians for Reality TV royalty. So this should be an interesting one to watch play out.

LaVar Ball’s AAU Team Gets Blown Out; LaVar Ball Does Not Give a Shit

By on • ( Leave a comment )

USA Today – Saturday’s AAU matchup between LaVar Ball’s Big Ballers and the Compton Magic could not have gone worse for the outspoken father of Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball. With James Harden in attendance, the Big Ballers, led by LaMelo, were blown out 109-57. According to USA TODAY Sports’ Josh Peter, it got to the point where Compton Magic players were talking trash to LaVar as they celebrated plays.

Welp, thats what happens you talk nonstop shit every day to anyone who will listen. The second you don’t back it up you are going to get absolutely clowned. To make it worse it was getting clowned to the tune of a 50 point blowout while teenagers laugh in your face.

Thats the problem with LaVar, he’s basically setting his kids up for this kind of shit. If you’re Lonzo and a top-3 NBA draft pick, then sure you don’t give a shit. But if you’re the 15 year old third brother, who’s throwing up bricks all goddamn game, maybe, just maybe the LaVar Big Baller Brand bullshit is in your head a little bit more than the NBA Lottery Pick brother.

But how about this fucking quote from LaVar legit during the game.

“A few minutes later, Ball opened his mouth again and told one of his players, “This ain’t nothing but entertainment. You want to know what I’m going to do when I get out of here? I’m going to get a burger, lay down and take a nap.’’

Thats probably the worse shit this guy’s said yet, especially if you want to pretend to be a coach on top of everything else. I know its AAU basketball and there is NOTHING worse than the generation of whiny, entitled AAU players that the NBA is filled with today, but holy shit lets not even pretend the game is a competition.

That is a TERRIBLE precedent to set.

LaVar Ball; tastemaker, billion dollar brand builder, AAU coach of the year.