LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 13: Ice Cube and Lavar Ball compete in the Four Point Challenge during week eight of the BIG3 three on three basketball league at Staples Center on August 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
LaVar Ball is keeping a close watch on his younger son.
The former football tight end and college basketball player announced he plans to take his 16-year-old son LaMelo out of Chino Hills High School and will home-school and train him for his last two years before college.
“I’m not dealing with the coach over there,” LaVar told ESPN. “I’m not dealing with the administration over there. I don’t want no distractions on Melo. So therefore I’m going to home-school him and make him the best basketball player ever.”
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LaMelo scored 92 points for Chino Hills in a game last season. Chino Hills hired Dennis Latimore — a former Arizona and Notre Dame basketball star — as its new head coach in May, replacing Stephan Gilling, who was the head coach for one season.
LaMelo said Monday was his last day at Chino Hills, but is excited about this change in his scholastic life, “because I can spend all my time now and dedication into it instead of going to school and doing book work,” he told ESPN.
Former head Coach Steve Baik, who guided Chino Hills to 35-0 record two seasons ago before leaving for Fairfax, said, “A year ago, a few months ago, I thought this could never happen. I am really disappointed it couldn’t have worked out better for LaMelo and all the players. They’re really good kids. If I knew it was going to end up this way, maybe I wouldn’t have left. I didn’t forsee this happening.”
LaVar added that LaMelo still intends to sign with UCLA, where LaVar’s other son Lonzo played. Lonzo, who will be 20 later this month, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
Lonzo led the nation in assists during his freshman year with the Bears in 2016-2017. He suffered an ankle sprain with the Lakers in a preseason game on Monday night.
Ball owns a sports apparel line called Big Baller Brand, and has promoted it on WWE and other platforms.
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 13: Ice Cube and Lavar Ball compete in the Four Point Challenge during week eight of the BIG3 three on three basketball league at Staples Center on August 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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