#5: LaVar Has Had a Public Feud With U.S. President Donald Trump.
This fact, in itself, isn’t so momentous. Lots of people seem to feud with Trump these days. But, when son LiAngelo was arrested in China for shoplifting on November 7, 2017, just days before his son’s UCLA team was to open its 2017-18 schedule in Shanghai, LiAngelo and two teammates were arrested for shoplifting sunglasses from a mall in China. Not a great idea, LiAngelo. The crime carried a possible jail sentence of 3-10 years. Apparently Trump requested the boy’s release, and it happened. LaVar downplayed Trump’s help, and of course Trump had to tweet on November 15, 2017, that he would think the three UCLA Basketball Players would thank him. Not so much.
#6: LaVar Ball Sells Expensive Shoes (Almost $500 a Pop)
In 2017, Big Baller Brand announced that its first shoe design, called the ZO2, would retail at $495. Even Shaquille O’Neal jumped on Ball for overpricing his shoes. After others were critical of the shoe’s price, Ball tweeted that, “If you can’t afford the ZO2’s, you’re NOT a BIG BALLER.” Count me out!
#7: For a Short Time, His Sons Played Basketball in Lithuania
If you haven’t heard of Lithuania, Lithuania is a Baltic State on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. It is bordered by Latvia on the north, Belarus on the east and south, and Poland directly to the south. That’s your geography lesson. The basketball lesson is that Ball’s sons LaMelo and LiAngelo signed to play with Lithuanian basketball team Vytautas Prienai-Birstonas in January 2018. But that didn’t last long: just after the Ball brothers arrived in Lithuania, the team withdrew from the Baltic Basketball League and a five-game exhibition series was created to showcase the Ball brothers. It was called the Big Baller Brand Challenge Games – obvious to sell shoes. What now that the Ball brothers are gone?
#8: LaVar Ball Was Accused of Being a Racist
In 2017, Lonzo Ball’s UCLA team lost to the University of Kentucky in NCAA’s March Madness. After the loss, LaVar Ball was reported to say, “You can’t win a championship with three white guys on your team because their foot speed is too slow.” When criticized, Lonzo stuck up for his teammates, remarking that his Dad was making “a joke.” Nice joke, LaVar.
#9: LaVar Has Been Accused of Being a Sexist
Ball doesn’t seem to like women, or perhaps he’s making another “joke?” In May, 2017, Ball appeared on a Fox Sports show. During his segment, he apparently never looked at host Kristine Leahy and when she asked how many shoes Ball’s Big Baller Brand of shoes had sold to women, Ball told her to “Stay in your lane.” When asked why, Ball said that he was “scared of her.”
#10: LaVar’s Family Has its Own Reality Television Show
In July 2017, Facebook released a reality TV show on the Ball family called “Ball in the Family.” The show is in Season 3 with 36 episodes for those who care.
All said, LaVar has a way of staying in the spotlight. With the recent signing of LeBron James to LA, it will be interesting to see if LaVar can double-down on his antics or if James will nip LaVar’s insanity in the bud. James may not have time for this and if the Lakers agree, how long will it take before Lonzo is in the news as possible trade bait?
