OPINION: The LaVar Ball Sideshow Needs To End

First he said he could beat Michael Jordan 1-on-1. Then he claimed his newly-drafted son would take the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Finally, he made an appearance on Monday Night RAW this past week.

LaVar Ball, you’re doing too much. The crazy antics and sideshow needs to come to end. It is not necessary to hear how you think your son, Lonzo is already better than Stephen Curry, or how in a 5-on-5 setting he can beat Russell Westbrook and James Harden. LaVar has taken Lonzo as far as he can as a father to this point; their workouts were witnessed by the Lakers, who ultimately selected Lonzo with the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft on June 22. It is time for Lonzo to be his own person, his own professional basketball player.

But by no means is this a knock to LaVar. There is nothing wrong with the unconditional love and support he has given to Lonzo, or any of his sons to that matter. He once admitted that all three of his sons, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo, the latter two UCLA commits, would be one-and-done players with a chance to go pro. However, he did say that LiAngelo would most likely not reach the NBA, saying in a GQ interview, “I told my boys that one of them wasn’t going to make it. Because if you’ve got three, only one, maybe two make it to the NBA.”

LaVar has been talked about constantly within the sports media world since February, and has continued to take up the spotlight – perhaps more than Lonzo at some points – to date, and probably will continue to. He has made a name for himself, and this has allowed him to market his personal brand, Big Baller Brand, which is family-made and features a $495 signature shoe.

The Ball family has made waves in the national spotlight since beginning 2017. Lonzo’s enhanced playmaking skills and versatility earned him a top draft spot to his hometown team. LiAngelo just graduated high school and will follow in Lonzo’s footsteps at UCLA in the fall. LaMelo, just a rising high school junior, dropped 92 points in a game earlier this year and will be the most-watched prospect until he graduates. LaVar, well, has made waves in his own way.

The spotlight is not necessary for LaVar to continue to market himself, his sons and his brand. He has become a household name through the play of his sons, and Lonzo’s time in the NBA will ultimately boost popularity even more. But please, Lavar, do not continue to make crazy claims at the expense of your sons to market an overpriced shoe.

You’ve helped the Big Baller Brand take off with all of the television appearances and radio interviews, but let’s have the young guns really make a name for themselves on the court.

Article by Matthew Lamb