NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, looks on during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City.
LaVar Ball is well known at this point for making bold, pretentious claims, and his latest assertion concerns LeBron James.
The father of Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball said this week in an interview that he believes that in his “heyday,” he could have easily defeated James — Lonzo’s new Lakers teammate — in a one-on-one matchup.
“Back in my heyday can’t nobody hold me, 270 benching 500,” Ball said in an interview with Fanatics View, in which he also called King James “too weak.”
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When asked if he had proof of being able to lift that much, Ball — a former college basketball and football player — said no video evidence was necessary.
“Don’t need no videos, it’s all up here,” Ball stated. “You want to come see me back in my heyday? I was a bad mamajama. I’m going to let you know. My will to win was too hard man. Man, 1-on-1 I’d be on myself all day.”
Earlier this month, Ball said he believed he and James would likely “get along.”
Ball had previously said he could also beat Michael Jordan one-handed in a one-on-one game. The founder of sports apparel company Big Baller Brand has made so many outlandish claims that it even prompted “Saturday Night Live” to spoof Ball multiple times. Cast member Kenan Thompson, who played Ball, even appeared alongside the “NBA on TNT” crew earlier this year:
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