LaVar Ball: Difference between revisions

He has been labeled "outrageous,"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ward-Henninger|first1=Colin|title=Ranking LaVar Ball's most outrageous quotes|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/photos/ranking-lavar-balls-most-outrageous-quotes/|website=[[CBS Sports]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=July 13, 2017}}</ref> "wild and crazy,"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Douglas|first1=Stephen|title=Early LaVar Ball Video: Different Era, Same Wild and Crazy Guy|url=http://thebiglead.com/2017/08/30/early-lavar-ball-video-different-era-same-wild-and-crazy-guy/|website=[[The Big Lead]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=August 30, 2017}}</ref> and a "moron."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Philipps|first1=Ryan|title=LaVar Ball Isn't A Marketing Genius, He's A Moron|url=http://thebiglead.com/2017/05/05/lavar-ball-isnt-a-marketing-genius-hes-a-moron/|website=[[The Big Lead]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> Multiple notable basketball figures, including [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] have said that Ball has had a negative effect on the sport to some extent.<ref name=raveling2/><ref>{{cite web|last1=Daniels|first1=Tim|title=Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Says LaVar Ball Is Bad for College Basketball|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2716196-kareem-abdul-jabbar-says-lavar-ball-is-bad-for-college-basketball|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=June 17, 2017}}</ref> [[Philadelphia 76ers]] teammates [[Joel Embiid]] and [[Ben Simmons]] have attacked Ball on social media, while [[John Wall]], [[Kenyon Martin]], [[Jerry West]], and [[Reggie Miller]] have also criticized his impact on his children.<ref name=boastslatimes/><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Kay|first1=Stanley|title=Jerry West on LaVar Ball: 'I wouldn't want a father like that'|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2017/06/01/jerry-west-lavar-ball-lonzo-nba-draft|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=June 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kenyon Martin would not subject himself, or his kids, to LaVar Ball's antics|url=http://www.foxsports.com/watch/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd/video/1016507459823|website=[[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=August 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kerr|first1=Jeff|title=Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons fire shots at Lavar Ball|url=https://247sports.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/article/joel-embiid-ben-simmons-fire-shots-at-lavar-ball-53291189/|website=[[247Sports.com]]|access-date=October 17, 2017|date=June 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2753277-reggie-miller-rips-lavar-ball-says-liangelo-lamelo-have-no-shot-at-nba|title=Reggie Miller Rips LaVar Ball, Says LiAngelo, LaMelo Have 'No Shot' at NBA|first=Tyler|last=Conway|website=[[Bleacher Report]] }}</ref> [[Steve Kerr]] also disregarded Ball, calling him 'the [[Keeping Up With The Kardashians|Kardashian]] of the NBA.'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2018/01/08/golden-state-warriors-coach-steve-kerr-calls-lavar-ball-kardashian-nba#/|title=Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr calls Lavar Ball 'the Kardashian of the NBA' - National Basketball Association.com |author= Janie McCauley, Associated Press |website=[[NBA.com]] }}</ref> On the other hand, some NBA stars like [[DeMarcus Cousins]], [[Dwyane Wade]] and [[Kevin Durant]] have shown support for Ball.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/dimemag/demarcus-cousins-lonzo-ball-lavar-ball-legend-video/2/|title=DeMarcus Cousins Thinks LaVar Ball is a Legend|date=April 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Josh|title=Dwyane Wade is in LaVar Ball's corner: 'He's crazy over his kids'|url=https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2018/02/18/dwyane-wade-lavar-ball-nba/|publisher=Lonzo Ball Wire|access-date=April 2, 2018|date=February 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Josh|title=Kevin Durant loves LaVar Ball, but disagrees with him on these things|url=https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2018/04/01/kevin-durant-loves-lavar-ball-but-disagrees-with-him-on-these-things/|publisher=Lonzo Ball Wire|access-date=April 2, 2018|date=April 1, 2018}}</ref>

 

On March 25, 2017, after Ball's November 2016 prediction that UCLA would win the NCAA championship, the team lost to [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] in the Sweet 16 round of the tournament, with Lonzo pulling a hamstring.<ref name=whiteguys/><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Rosenberg|first1=Michael|title=De'Aaron Fox gets the best of Lonzo Ball as Kentucky wins showdown with UCLA|url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/03/25/kentucky-ucla-ncaa-tournament-deaaron-fox|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=October 11, 2017|date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> 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."<ref name="whiteguys">{{cite web|last1=Taylor|first1=Clay|title=LaVar Ball blames foot speed of white guys for UCLA downfall|url=http://www.dailynews.com/2017/04/06/lavar-ball-blames-foot-speed-of-white-guys-for-ucla-downfall/|website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|access-date=October 11, 2017|date=April 6, 2017}}</ref> He was presumably referring to his son's three white teammates [[Bryce Alford]], [[T. J. Leaf]], and [[Thomas Welsh (basketball)|Thomas Welsh]].<ref name="racism2">{{cite web|title=LaVar Ball: UCLA was too slow to win title with 'three white guys'|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/19097642/lavar-ball-casts-blame-ucla-bruins-white-guys|website=[[ESPN]]|access-date=April 7, 2017|date=April 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Goldberg|first1=Rob|title=LaVar Ball Says UCLA Didn't Win Title Because White Players Are Too Slow|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2702305-lavar-ball-says-ucla-didnt-win-title-because-white-players-slowed-game-down|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=October 11, 2017|date=April 6, 2017}}</ref> Lonzo downplayed the remarks, viewing them "as a joke."<ref name="racism">{{cite web|title=LaVar Ball says 'white guys' comment was misunderstood: 'I love those guys'|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/19103214/lavar-ball-father-lonzo-ball-says-recent-white-guys-comment-was-misunderstood-love-guys|website=[[ESPN]]|access-date=October 11, 2017|date=April 7, 2017}}</ref> Brian Mazique of ''[[Forbes]]'' criticized Ball's comments as "plain racist," while David Whitley of the ''[[Orlando Sentinel]]'' called them factually correct despite being [[Political correctness|politically incorrect]].<ref name="forbeswhiteguys">{{cite web|last1=Mazique|first1=Brian|title=Lonzo Ball Needs To Have A Man-To-Man Talk With His Dad|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2017/04/07/lonzo-ball-needs-to-have-a-man-to-man-talk-with-his-dad/|website=[[Forbes]]|access-date=October 11, 2017|date=April 7, 2017}}</ref><ref name="oswhiteguys">{{cite web|last1=Whitley|first1=David|title=LaVar Ball stumbles upon one taboo truth|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/david-whitley/os-sp-lavar-ball-whitley-blog-0414-story.html|website=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|access-date=October 11, 2017|date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> Actor [[Michael Rapaport]] recorded a profanity-laced rant against Ball as well.<ref name="observer">{{cite web|last1=Wertz Jr.|first1=Langston|title=After startling UCLA 'white guy' comments, LaVar Ball now coaching his son in summer ball|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/high-school/preps-blog/article143620474.html|website=[[The Charlotte Observer]]|access-date=August 3, 2017|date=April 9, 2017}}</ref> One day after making the statement, Ball clarified by saying "I love those guys" and instead pushed blame for the loss onto his son.<ref name=racism/>

 

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On May 17, 2017, Ball appeared on ''[[The Herd with Colin Cowherd]]'', a show on [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]], where his remarks towards female host [[Kristine Leahy]] were seen as sexist.<ref name="bitheherd">{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Scott|title=LaVar Ball tells Fox Sports' Kristine Leahy 'stay in your lane' after question about how many shoes he has sold|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/lavar-ball-kristine-leahy-stay-in-your-shoe-sales-2017-5|website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=August 4, 2017|date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref name="sbnationtheherd">{{cite web|last1=Whitfield|first1=Kristian|title=LaVar Ball disrespects FS1's Kristine Leahy: 'Stay in your lane'|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2017/5/17/15654608/lavar-ball-sexist-comments-kristine-leahy-fox-sports-lonzo-ball|website=[[SB Nation]]|access-date=August 4, 2017|date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> 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."<ref name="bitheherd" /><ref name="nypostleahy">{{cite web|last1=Brazillier|first1=Zach|title=LaVar Ball attacks Fox Sports reporter in sexist rant|url=https://nypost.com/2017/05/17/lavar-ball-attacks-fox-sports-reporter-in-sexist-rant/|website=[[New York Post]]|access-date=October 14, 2017|date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref name="sitheherd">{{cite magazine|last1=Woo|first1=Jeremy|title=Fox Sports host Kristine Leahy calls LaVar Ball comments 'disrespectful to women'|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2017/05/17/lavar-ball-kristine-leahy-herd-interview|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=October 14, 2017|date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> 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."<ref name=sbnationtheherd />