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LaVar Ball
No. 99
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1967-10-23) October 23, 1967 (age 57)
Los Angeles, California
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:263 lb (119 kg)
Career information
High school:Canoga Park (CA)
College:Cal State-Los Angeles
Undrafted:1994
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only

LaVar Christopher Ball (born October 23, 1967)[1] is an American media personality and businessman. He is the father of three basketball players: Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo; LiAngelo, who was enrolled at UCLA briefly with a basketball scholarship;[2] and LaMelo.[3][4][5][6] Ball is the founder and CEO of the sports apparel company Big Baller Brand and founder of the Junior Basketball Association (JBA).[7]

Ball played basketball and American football while at Canoga Park High School, going on to play basketball at the collegiate level for West Los Angeles College, Washington State and Cal State Los Angeles. He played at Long Beach City College for a season, and had a short professional career with the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football, and as a practice squad member of the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers in 1995, but never played a game in the National Football League.

Following a series of bold statements in the spring of 2017, Ball began repeatedly making national sports headlines. His early remarks included saying that his son Lonzo is better than Stephen Curry and claiming that he himself could defeat Michael Jordan one-on-one in basketball. He was subject to both praise and criticism as he continued making similar comments, some of which involved his company, Big Baller Brand. Ball has made several appearances on national TV and has routinely drawn attention from major sports media outlets.

Early life and college basketball career

Ball was a multi-sport athlete at Canoga Park High School (pictured).

Ball was born on October 23, 1967, and was brought up in South Los Angeles, California.[8][9] He has four brothers, named LaFrance, LaValle, LaRenzo, and LaShon.[9] Ball attended Canoga Park High School in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, where he was a prominent quarterback on the football team and played basketball as a forward.[10][11] In one season, Ball grabbed a total of 316 rebounds to break the school record.[11] He stood 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and weighed 250 lbs (113 kg) by college.[10] Aside from sports, Ball majored in criminal justice at college and had hopes of being a U.S. Marshal.[12]

Ball first began playing college basketball at West Los Angeles College in the low-tier Western State Conference despite having little experience at the prep level. In the season opener in 1986, he recorded 33 points and 18 rebounds against Porterville College.[11] Ball then transferred to NCAA Division I Washington State and became a starting forward.[13] In 26 games for the Cougars, however; he averaged only 2.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game.[14] After one season, Ball transferred again to Cal State Los Angeles, which competed in the NCAA Division II, playing alongside three of his four brothers.[15]

College basketball statistics

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1987–88 Washington State 26 — — .404 .000 .450 2.3 1.0 .4 .1 2.2

Football career

Following college, Ball was invited to a football tryout and eventually made a return to the sport.[3] After finishing his college basketball career, he played a single year of college football at Long Beach City College as a tight end.[16] On May 1, 1994, Ball signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) as a defensive end. He returned to the Jets on March 7, 1995, as a tight end and was immediately loaned to the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football (WLAF) the same year.[17] In the 1995 season for the Monarchs, Ball recorded 28 yards in kick returns.[18] During his NFL career, he was also a part of the practice squads of both the Jets and Carolina Panthers, remaining with the latter team until late November 1995, albeit with no yards played due to injury.[19][20] After Ball rose to fame in 2017, his former Monarchs teammate Kenny McEntyre said that he was "garbage," a comment Ball refutes as jealousy from McEntyre.[16]

In the media

Ball's early rise to fame was fueled by comparing his son Lonzo with the NBA superstars above. Clockwise from upper left: Magic Johnson, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James.

Although LaVar Ball initially received minimal public attention at the start of 2016, his sons gave him a media platform that he would begin to use increasingly, starting at the end of the year. In July 2015, Ball and his sons made national sports headlines when Gary Parrish of CBS Sports wrote a feature story about the Ball family.[21] In a March 2016 interview with MaxPreps, he first began displaying his confident personality to the public. When asked who Lonzo plays like, he described his son as "Magic (Johnson) with a jumper."[9] The family continued rising in popularity after SLAM magazine featured them in an article in August 2016.[3] Subsequently, Ball himself rapidly rose in profile through a series of incredible comments about his children, such as on November 26, 2016, when in a TV interview he guaranteed that UCLA, spearheaded by Lonzo, would win the 2017 NCAA Division I Tournament.[22] (UCLA lost in the round of sixteen.) On December 14, Ball predicted that all three of his sons would be one-and-done prospects for the NBA draft by playing only one year of college basketball.[23]

Many of Ball's eccentric claims have involved well-known basketball players. In early March 2017, he said that he viewed Lonzo as a better player than Stephen Curry, the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2015 and 2016.[24] UCLA all-time leading scorer Don MacLean called the comments "outrageous," and many bloggers ridiculed Ball for them.[24] Ball has also stated that he believes his eldest son is "the best player in the world," specifically comparing him with NBA MVPs LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.[25] Kyle Boone of CBS Sports responded: "There's no way in the world Lonzo would be taking down LeBron or Westbrook in any form of basketball right now."[25]

Michael Jordan comments

Ball's claim in March 2017 that he would "kill Michael Jordan (pictured) one-on-one" greatly increased Ball's presence in sports media.

On March 13, 2017, Ball said in an interview with Josh Peter of USA Today: "Back in my heyday, I would kill Michael Jordan one-on-one," saying Jordan could only foul him if he did a jump hook, that Jordan could not stop him one-on-one, that Jordan was slower.[26] Ball was widely mocked for making the statement despite having averaged only 2.2 points per game while playing basketball at Washington State.[27][28][26]

Ball's comments comparing himself with Jordan resulted in a significant increase in media attention.[29] Following his claim, he appeared on the ESPN show First Take, in which he argued with Stephen A. Smith about his comments on Jordan.[30] As of mid-October 2017, a YouTube video of the segment has received more than 2.4 million views.[31]

Promotion of Big Baller Brand

Ball has frequently drawn attention to his sports apparel company Big Baller Brand through the media. During his rise in March 2017, he often promoted his brand on national TV, comparing it with major shoe companies like Nike and Adidas.[32] Soon after, Lonzo's connection to the brand while he played college basketball at UCLA raised questions about whether it broke National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules.[33] In mid-March, Time wrote an article describing the Ball's campaign against the NCAA rules.[34] On April 20, George Raveling, the global basketball sports marketing director of Nike, called Ball "the worst thing to happen to basketball in the last hundred years."[35][36] In response, Ball claimed that Big Baller Brand would eventually compete with Nike.[36] In the following week, Nike, Under Armour and Adidas declined to sign an endorsement deal with Lonzo, according to Ball.[37][38]

On May 4, 2017, Big Baller Brand announced its first shoes, the ZO2, which had a retail price of $495 and would be shipped later as late as November 24.[39][40] Shaquille O'Neal criticized Ball for overpricing the shoes, while Dick Vitale took aim at the price by citing Lonzo's performance against Kentucky at the NCAA Tournament.[41][42] On Twitter, many NFL players like Golden Tate were critical of the shoe price, while Arian Foster and others showed their support.[41] Ball answered by posting on Twitter, "If you can't afford the ZO2'S, you're NOT a BIG BALLER!"[41] The Washington Post wrote that Ball's style of promoting of the shoe was both shameless and smart.[41]

On September 1, 2017, Big Baller Brand announced a signature shoe for LaVar's youngest son LaMelo Ball, the Melo Ball 1 (MB1), on its website for pre-order for $395.[43] The announcement once again stirred controversy regarding LaMelo's NCAA eligibility.[43][44] NCAA spokesperson Emily James said, "Generally speaking, a college athlete or prospect paid for use of their athletics reputation or ability risks their future eligibility in that sport. This includes profiting from the sale of items bearing the young person's name. NCAA rules, however, do allow prospects to promote commercial products prior to enrollment, provided it is not for pay."[43] LaVar expressed a general disregard for the NCAA rules, saying that the shoe would be released whether or not his son would become ineligible.[43][45]

Junior Basketball Association

On December 20, 2017, Ball announced that under complete funding of the Big Baller Brand, he would help set up the creation of the Junior Basketball Association (JBA).[46] Under his planning, the league is set up as an alternative to college basketball and other alternative methods for high school players that may not want to play in the collegiate level, with 10 teams being involved in the league looking to play in major NBA venues out in places like Los Angeles, Dallas, Brooklyn, and Atlanta. The goal there is to have 80 different players participate in the league, with lower-ranked players earning $3,000 per month and higher-ranked players earning up to $10,000 per month. Its rules are set to be similar to that of the NBA with 12 minute quarters and a three-point line similar to what's seen in professional leagues like the NBA. Players would also wear merchandise from the Big Baller Brand, including shoes and branded uniforms; the Junior Basketball Association's logo is set to have a silhouette of his son Lonzo. His inspiration for creating the league came from the aftermath of LiAngelo Ball's situation in UCLA, which resulted in his removal from the school earlier in December, as a response to comments made by NCAA President Mark Emmert. Ironically, neither LiAngelo nor his brother LaMelo would be set to play in the league due to their contracts out in Lithuania.

LiAngelo Ball detainment in China controversy

In November 2017, during a preseason game held in China, Ball's son, LiAngelo, and two basketball teammates from UCLA were detained for shoplifting and faced multiple years in prison if convicted, but Ball stated, "It ain't that big a deal".[47] Following U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China and a request from Trump to China's president Xi Jinping, LaVar's son and teammates were released by the authorities.[48] Following their release from China, LiAngelo and his two teammates were suspended from UCLA basketball activities indefinitely. Trump took credit for assisting in LiAngelo's release while Ball had been resistant to thank him.[48] In response, Trump tweeted that he would have left them in jail if he had known they would not thank him. A press conference took place shortly after with the UCLA teammates thanking the President for their release.[48] Trump would then give them their blessings, have them make sure they also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for their release, and make sure they have a great life with the reminder that life is full of pitfalls.[49]

However, LaVar Ball did not thank Trump. When asked whether Trump should be thanked, he said, "Did he go visit them in jail? Did you go visit them in jail. If you went to visit them in jail then I would say, 'Thank you.'".[48] Following this, Trump stated he should have left them in jail, later reminding people that shoplifting in China is a very serious deal.[48] Ball was interviewed on CNN a day after Trump's comments were tweeted, explaining his side of the story and noting that while LiAngelo will be punished for what he did there, he should not be demeaned for it either. Regarding Trump, Ball said that despite his help, he should not have to say anything and that he should do his political affairs, while Ball would focus on supporting his son. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban later commented that "Ball and Trump were actually so much alike, in that they say what they need to say for PR and they don't apologize for anything since they'll be in the news all day for that".[50] While Ball would send President Trump multiple pairs of custom ZO2 shoes from his Big Baller Brand in the aftermath of their fight,[51] he would send an animated .gif image on Twitter on December 7 dunking over the U.S. President in a further attempt to rile him up.[52]

In the aftermath of the incident, UCLA suspended LiAngelo, as well as the other students involved with the shoplifting incident back in China, under an indefinite basis. LiAngelo would eventually be pulled out of the school on December 4, 2017, under his father's wishes.[53] LaVar felt very displeased with the university's handling on the suspension of his son in particular and noted that UCLA's coaches could have been held more accountable for the situation and that the nation of China had forgiven the guys that shoplifted their stores back in November that year, meaning they should be allowed to rejoin the team. Head coach Steve Alford, however, defended his stance by saying they had to be in a group and not wander off from the team, although he maintains that he is a coach and a teacher for his team, not a judgmental figure on parents. NCAA President Mark Emmert also commented that they do not want student-athletes being "one-and-done" players focusing on being professionals, claiming they are at the wrong place if that is their motivations.[54] As a result, he and the family's agent, Harrison Gaines, would be looking for overseas exposure on both LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball for at least this season.[55] Both LiAngelo and LaMelo would sign a contract with the Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas of the Lithuanian Basketball League on December 11, 2017, with them being ready for the international debuts on January 2018.[56][57][58]

Lakers coaching criticism

"They're soft. They don't know how to coach my son. I know how to coach him, I tell him to go get the victory. Stop messing around."

—Ball on the Lakers' coaching of his eldest son.

On November 21, 2017, Ball took criticism of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton for taking a wrong approach to coaching his eldest son, Lonzo. Ball first mentioned that his son was focusing on getting the victory for his team in a November loss to the Phoenix Suns, before stating that the coaching is making him appear soft, and that his problem mainly stems from the losing the team has been having throughout the start of the 2017–18 NBA season.[59] Over a week later, on November 29, after an overtime loss to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, Ball gave out criticism once again in a post-game interview to ESPN. In that interview, he claims the game should not have gone to overtime, that Lonzo's teammate, Julius Randle, should have passed the ball to his son for the potential game-winning play at hand and that the head coach should not have called a timeout late in the fourth quarter.[60] Starting in December, the Lakers would enforce a new rule, dubbed by employees at the Staples Center to be the "LaVar Ball Rule," to forbid media to talk with the team's family members at home games. On December 12, 2017, the Lakers' front office would meet with LaVar, asking him to tone down the criticisms on their head coach and help create a more positive environment for his son to prosper in.[61]

Criticism

Many of Ball's decisions, primarily his comments in the media, have raised significant controversy around him and his sons. He has often been subject to criticism from several media outlets for a variety of reasons. Forbes has labeled him "one of the most polarizing figures in sports today."[62]

He has been labeled "outrageous,"[63] "wild and crazy,"[64] and a "moron."[65] Multiple notable basketball figures, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have said that Ball has had a negative effect on the sport to some extent.[36][66] Philadelphia 76ers teammates Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have attacked Ball on social media, while John Wall, Kenyon Martin, and Jerry West have also criticized his impact on his children.[67][24][68][69]

Allegations of racism

Bryce Alford
Bryce Alford
T. J. Leaf
T. J. Leaf
Thomas Welsh
Thomas Welsh
Ball drew fierce criticism for blaming the three white players above for UCLA's NCAA Tournament loss against Kentucky.

On March 25, 2017, after Ball's November 2016 prediction that UCLA would win the NCAA championship, the team lost to Kentucky in the Sweet 16 round of the tournament, with Lonzo pulling a hamstring.[70][71] Weeks after the loss, Ball said, "Realistically you can't win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow. I told Lonzo: 'One of these games you might need to go for 30 or 40 points.' It turned out that was the one game. Then once they get to the Elite 8, they're right there."[70] He was presumably referring to his son's three white teammates Bryce Alford, T. J. Leaf, and Thomas Welsh.[72][73] Lonzo downplayed the remarks, viewing them "as a joke."[74] Brian Mazique of Forbes criticized Ball's comments as "plain racist," while David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel called them factually correct despite being politically incorrect.[75][76] Actor Michael Rapaport recorded a profanity-laced rant against Ball as well.[77] One day after making the statement, Ball clarified by saying "I love those guys" and instead pushed blame for the loss onto his son.[74]

Allegations of sexism

On May 17, 2017, Ball appeared on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, a show on Fox Sports, where his remarks towards female host Kristine Leahy were seen as potentially sexist.[78] He never faced in Leahy's direction for the whole interview, apparently trying to talk only with Colin Cowherd on the other side of the studio.[79] Ball argued with Leahy about if Big Baller Brand should market to both men and women, asserting that his brand is not for women, and when she asked him how many shoes he had already sold, he said, "Stay in your lane."[80][78] During the segment, Leahy expressed that she believed Ball was disrespecting women, and he responded by calling her a "hater" for her previous criticism of his parenting.[81] He also commented, "She scares me. I don't look over there because I'm scared of her. I'm thinking assault right now. Leave me alone."[79]

"I asked him a question. That is my job as a reporter. And he came back at me in a very dismissive and inappropriate way. So, I had two choices: I could either sit back and take it … Or I could stand up for myself and talk to him. Still, with complete respect. And for the record, I've actually supported him being such a strong voice for his son, and we talk more about his son than anyone else because of what he's done for him."

—Kristine Leahy on her exchange with Ball on The Herd

Later that day on The Herd, Leahy issued a response about her argument with Ball, saying, "So he was upset at me for what I said there, and that’s completely fine. But you can't come at me and disrespect me and not look me in the eye and threaten me. That's just not OK."[82] Ball, however, denied threatening her.[82] The Washington Post reacted to the exchange: "LaVar Ball officially has moved from outlandish to obnoxious."[83] New York Post labeled Ball's remarks on the show a "sexist rant."[80] Following the incident, Big Baller Brand began selling women's clothing on its website. It also started selling T-shirts that read "Stay In Yo Lane."[84] The magazine Complex called Ball's choice to sell the potentially controversial shirts "his most classless move yet."[85] Leahy responded by promoting Girls, Inc. on a Twitter post, an action that Yardbarker called "classy stuff."[86]

Ball drew further criticism for sexism as the coach of the Big Baller Brand Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team on July 28, 2017, at the Adidas Summer Championships in Las Vegas, after having a female referee who gave him a technical foul be replaced.[87][88] After being called for the foul, Ball asked Adidas tournament organizers to replace the referee, who he had argued with on previous occasions, and then threatened to pull his team from the game if they did not comply.[87] Adidas soon replaced the official with a male counterpart, but Ball was assessed a second technical foul later in the game, resulting in his ejection and an early end to the game.[89][90] Following the incident, he said, "She's a woman who's trying to act — I get that she's trying to break into the referee thing. But just giving techs and calling fouls, that's no way to do it. I know what she trying to say: 'I gave LaVar, I gave him a tech, I'm strong.' That ain't got nothing to do with it. Just call the game."[90] Ball also said that the referee needed to "stay in her lane" and criticized her for being "not in shape."[88]

Days after the incident, the officiating group for the event, Court Club Elite, cut ties with Adidas.[91] In a statement, they said, "Adidas and their leadership acted in a manner that does not parallel our views on integrity or professionalism, and neither should be compromised as they were in this situation."[91] Adidas issued an apology, saying that removing the referee was "the wrong decision."[92] In the fallout of the game, several media outlets and newspapers directed flak to Ball's actions. ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas wrote an article in which he labeled Ball a "misogynistic buffoon unworthy of my time."[93] Kirk Herbstreit showed his support for Bilas's comments regarding Ball.[94] A sports column in the Chicago Tribune called him a "media-made Frankenstein unworthy of obsessive coverage."[95]

Parenting style

Since rising to fame, Ball's words and actions have sparked significant debate over his parenting, which has drawn both praise and criticism.[96][97] His parenting style, which has produced a wide range of opinions, has been compared to those of Richard Williams, Earl Woods, and Marv Marinovich.[98][99][100] Although often praised for raising three high-level basketball players and for his entertaining personality, Ball has also been condemned for several reasons.[101][97] The Globe and Mail has criticized LaVar for trying to "get rich off his kids' accomplishments," labeling him an "addict for attention."[98] Ball received further disapproval after reportedly declining Lonzo's $10 million shoe contract with Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour, instead continuing with his own company Big Baller Brand.[102] Before the 2017 NBA draft, Ball was seen as potential "baggage" that would come with selecting Lonzo, due to his frequent bold claims in the media.[103] An unnamed NBA general manager has condemned Ball for putting too much pressure on his son Lonzo.[102] After Lonzo was picked, New York Daily News labeled LaVar "Jerk of the Week" for making "hollow guarantees" instead of celebrating for his son.[104] On October 3, 2017, after Ball removed his son LaMelo from Chino Hills High School to personally train him, Nancy Armour of USA Today wrote an article calling Ball the "worst sports parent ever."[99]

Personal life

Ball's sons have attended Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California (pictured).

Ball met his wife, Tina, at Cal State Los Angeles, and they have three sons, Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo.[105] Lonzo is currently a point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, while LiAngelo is a shooting guard/small forward that was previously a part of the UCLA Bruins team before leaving the university, and LaMelo originally played at Chino Hills High School before being taught solely by his father in 2017.[106] Both LiAngelo & LaMelo are currently signed with the Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas of the Lithuanian Basketball League as of December 11, 2017.

After his youngest son LaMelo reached four years of age, Ball began training all of his sons to play basketball.[9] They were taught many skills by their father and later played for his Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, Big Ballers VXT.[15] For a relatively short period of time in their childhoods, Ball also had them play flag football, with Lonzo playing quarterback and his other sons catching passes.[9] Following an illustrious career at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California, Lonzo became a star at UCLA. Ball's younger sons played at the same high school and originally both committed to UCLA, with LiAngelo briefly attending there in 2017 before joining LaMelo out in Lithuania later that year.[107]

Reality television

In early July 2017, Deadline.com reported that Facebook would be releasing a reality television show featuring the Ball family. It would be a part of a larger project for the social media website to enter the video business.[108] After several weeks, it was announced that the show, called Ball In The Family, would exclusively air on Facebook on August 31, with the following episodes airing every Sunday, starting on September 10.[109][110] It was produced by Bunim/Murray Productions, which also helped create the reality TV series Keeping Up with the Kardashians on E! and Real World on MTV.[111]

References

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  38. ^ Chiari, Mike (April 28, 2017). "Nike, More Pass on Lonzo Ball After Father LaVar Asks for Big Baller Licensing". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  39. ^ Joseph, Andrew (May 8, 2017). "LaVar Ball claims that he's sold 'at least' 495 pairs of Lonzo's $495 shoes". For The Win. Retrieved June 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  40. ^ Tracy, Marc (May 5, 2017). "At $495, Lonzo Ball's ZO2 Sneakers Have Tastemakers Saying No Thanks". The New York Times. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  41. ^ a b c d Bieler, Des (May 5, 2017). "Big Baller Brand's $500 shoes are another shameless — and smart — move by LaVar Ball". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  42. ^ Bushnell, Henry (May 4, 2017). "Shaq calls out LaVar Ball for price of Lonzo's signature shoe". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved June 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  43. ^ a b c d Goodman, Jeff (September 1, 2017). "LaVar Ball on son's NCAA eligibility: 'If he can't play, then he can't play'". ESPN. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  44. ^ "Big Baller Brand Drops Shoe For LaMelo Ball, Raising Questions About Future NCAA Eligibility". Sports Business Daily. September 1, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  45. ^ Nathan, Alec (September 3, 2017). "LaVar Ball: 'NCAA Ain't Going to Tell Me S--t' About LaMelo's Signature Shoe". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  46. ^ http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/21827823/lavar-ball-wants-start-league-high-school-graduates
  47. ^ Raskin, Alex. "LiAngelo Ball and his two UCLA teammates 'face up to 10 years in prison' if convicted of shoplifting in China as father LaVar says arrest 'ain't that big of a deal". Daily Mail. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  48. ^ a b c d e Sanchez, Mark (November 20, 2017). "LaVar Ball: Why Trump doesn't deserve a thank you". New York Post. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  49. ^ Winfield, Kristian (November 20, 2017). "LaVar Ball was on CNN. How did we get here?". SB Nation. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  50. ^ Conway, Tyler. "Mark Cuban Says LaVar Ball and Donald Trump Are 'So Much Alike'".
  51. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkw8IAMkmbs
  52. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/12/07/lavar-ball-trolls-trump-with-gif-of-him-dunking-on-the-president/
  53. ^ https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/pac12/2017/12/05/steve-alford-defends-himself-ucla-against-criticism-lavar-ball/925056001/
  54. ^ https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/12/6/16742288/mark-emmert-ncaa-liangelo-ball-comments-ucla-basketball
  55. ^ https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/liangelo-lamelo-ball-reportedly-exploring-options-to-play-basketball-internationally/
  56. ^ "OFICIALU: „Vytauto" gretose – broliai Ball'ai". bcvytautas.lt (in Lithuanian). December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  57. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian; Givony, Jonathan (December 11, 2017). "LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball sign 1-year pro deals with Lithuanian club Prienu Vytautas". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ Govony, Jonathan (December 12, 2017). "Big Baller mania is already spreading through Lithuania". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  59. ^ Pincus, Eric. "LaVar Ball, Luke Walton Have Vastly Different Approaches to Developing Youth".
  60. ^ http://www.nba.com/article/2017/12/04/los-angeles-lakers-lavar-ball-rule/
  61. ^ http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21752678/lavar-ball-los-angeles-lakers-meeting-criticisms-luke-walton
  62. ^ Mazique, Brian (March 14, 2017). "LaVar Ball: Marketing Genius, Out Of Control Dad, Or Both?". Forbes. Retrieved August 3, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  63. ^ Ward-Henninger, Colin (July 13, 2017). "Ranking LaVar Ball's most outrageous quotes". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  64. ^ Douglas, Stephen (August 30, 2017). "Early LaVar Ball Video: Different Era, Same Wild and Crazy Guy". The Big Lead. Retrieved October 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  65. ^ Philipps, Ryan (May 5, 2017). "LaVar Ball Isn't A Marketing Genius, He's A Moron". The Big Lead. Retrieved October 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  66. ^ Daniels, Tim (June 17, 2017). "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Says LaVar Ball Is Bad for College Basketball". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  67. ^ Kay, Stanley (June 1, 2017). "Jerry West on LaVar Ball: 'I wouldn't want a father like that'". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  68. ^ "Kenyon Martin would not subject himself, or his kids, to LaVar Ball's antics". Fox Sports. August 3, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  69. ^ Kerr, Jeff (June 22, 2017). "Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons fire shots at Lavar Ball". 247Sports.com. Retrieved October 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  70. ^ a b Taylor, Clay (April 6, 2017). "LaVar Ball blames foot speed of white guys for UCLA downfall". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  71. ^ Rosenberg, Michael (March 25, 2017). "De'Aaron Fox gets the best of Lonzo Ball as Kentucky wins showdown with UCLA". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  72. ^ "LaVar Ball: UCLA was too slow to win title with 'three white guys'". ESPN. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  73. ^ Goldberg, Rob (April 6, 2017). "LaVar Ball Says UCLA Didn't Win Title Because White Players Are Too Slow". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  74. ^ a b "LaVar Ball says 'white guys' comment was misunderstood: 'I love those guys'". ESPN. April 7, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  75. ^ Mazique, Brian (April 7, 2017). "Lonzo Ball Needs To Have A Man-To-Man Talk With His Dad". Forbes. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  76. ^ Whitley, David (April 14, 2017). "LaVar Ball stumbles upon one taboo truth". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  77. ^ Wertz Jr., Langston (April 9, 2017). "After startling UCLA 'white guy' comments, LaVar Ball now coaching his son in summer ball". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  78. ^ a b Davis, Scott (May 17, 2017). "LaVar Ball tells Fox Sports' Kristine Leahy 'stay in your lane' after question about how many shoes he has sold". Business Insider. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  79. ^ a b Whitfield, Kristian (May 17, 2017). "LaVar Ball disrespects FS1's Kristine Leahy: 'Stay in your lane'". SB Nation. Retrieved August 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  80. ^ a b Brazillier, Zach (May 17, 2017). "LaVar Ball attacks Fox Sports reporter in sexist rant". New York Post. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  81. ^ Woo, Jeremy (May 17, 2017). "Fox Sports host Kristine Leahy calls LaVar Ball comments 'disrespectful to women'". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  82. ^ a b Joseph, Andrew (May 17, 2017). "Kristine Leahy responds to LaVar Ball's threatening comments on FS1: 'That's just not OK'". For The Win. Retrieved August 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  83. ^ Bonesteel, Matt; Flaherty, Bryan (May 17, 2017). "LaVar Ball told Fox Sports 1 host to 'stay in your lane.' Kristine Leahy responded strongly". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  84. ^ Chavez, Chris (May 25, 2017). "LaVar Ball now selling 'Stay in yo lane' t-shirt and women's merchandise". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  85. ^ Neubeck, Kyle (May 25, 2017). "LaVar Ball's New 'Stay in Yo Lane' Shirt Might Be His Most Classless Move Yet". Complex. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  86. ^ Rowan, Jason (May 25, 2017). "Kristine Leahy classily reacts to LaVar Ball 'Stay in Yo Lane!' shirts". Yardbarker. Retrieved October 14, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  87. ^ a b Payne, Marissa (July 28, 2017). "LaVar Ball has female AAU referee replaced midgame after he's given a technical". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  88. ^ a b Borzello, Jeff (August 8, 2017). "Female referee removed after LaVar Ball threatens to pull team off court". ESPN. Retrieved October 15, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  89. ^ Kay, Stanley (July 28, 2017). "Referee Replaced Mid-Game After Giving LaVar Ball Technical Foul". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  90. ^ a b Gleeson, Scott (July 28, 2017). "LaVar Ball goes on sexist rant about female referee after ejection from AAU game". USA Today. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  91. ^ a b Medcalf, Myron (July 31, 2017). "Officiating group cutting ties with Adidas after replacement of female referee". ESPN. Retrieved August 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  92. ^ Boren, Cindy (July 31, 2017). "Early Lead 'It was the wrong decision': Adidas apologizes for removing female referee after LaVar Ball incident". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  93. ^ Bilas, Jay (July 31, 2017). "LaVar Ball crossed the line and isn't worthy of our attention". ESPN. Retrieved August 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  94. ^ Traina, Jimmy (July 31, 2017). "Traina Thoughts: Jay Bilas And Kirk Herbstreit Have Had Enough Of LaVar Ball". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  95. ^ Ryan, Shannon (August 1, 2017). "LaVar Ball is a media-made Frankenstein unworthy of obsessive coverage". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  96. ^ Cook, Bob (March 11, 2017). "Is LaVar Ball A Bad Sports Parent?". Forbes. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  97. ^ a b Wilmes, John (March 2, 2017). "You Wish Your Dad was LaVar Ball, Stop Hating on Him". Vice. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  98. ^ a b Kelly, Cathal (June 22, 2017). "Kelly: How Bad Sports Parent LaVar Ball could be good news for NBA". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  99. ^ a b Armour, Nancy (October 3, 2017). "It's official: LaVar Ball is worst sports parent ever". USA Today. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  100. ^ Boren, Cindy (March 28, 2017). "LaVar Ball, the NCAA dad who won't stop boasting: Overbearing parent or marketing genius?". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  101. ^ Wong, Alex (June 18, 2017). "LaVar Ball: Father of the Year?". SportsOnEarth.com. Retrieved October 11, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  102. ^ a b Daniels, Tim (May 30, 2017). "LaVar Ball Reportedly Declined $10 Million Lonzo Shoe Deal". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  103. ^ Berman, Marc (May 13, 2017). "NBA insiders open up on how much LaVar Ball hurts Lonzo". New York Post. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  104. ^ Grossman, Evan (June 23, 2017). "LaVar Ball once again Jerk of the Week after stealing son Lonzo's moment at NBA draft". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  105. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (May 13, 2016). "How This Family of Prodigies Turned a Public School Into a Basketball Powerhouse". Los Angeles magazine.
  106. ^ https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-lamelo-liangelo-ball-exploring-options-play-professionally-overseas-030107550.html
  107. ^ Schilken, Chuck (March 14, 2017). "LaVar Ball, father of UCLA star Lonzo Ball, says he could have beaten Michael Jordan one-on-one". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  108. ^ Medcalf, Myron (July 5, 2017). "LaVar Ball and family to star in reality TV series on Facebook". ESPN. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  109. ^ Joseph, Andrew (August 30, 2017). "LaVar Ball predictably dominates new trailer for the Ball family's reality show". For The Win. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  110. ^ "The Ball family's new reality show to air Aug. 31". ESPN. August 30, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
  111. ^ "LaVar Ball, family to star in reality show on Facebook". NBA. August 30, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
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