Business mogul LaVar Ball has once again come out with extravagant remarks about his son, Lonzo Ball. In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, LaVar claimed that Lonzo would still have been a Laker if Magic Johnson had been coaching the team. Lonzo was drafted into the NBA as a 2nd pick in 2017. At the time, Magic Johnson was the General Manager for the Lakers.
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Though $35,000,000 worth Lonzo Ball displayed flashes of potential, he could never live up to the same. Ball’s time at the Lakers was plagued with continuous injuries, which limited the majority of his minutes with the franchise. Eventually, in the summer of 2019, Lonzo Ball was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, as the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis from this deal.
LaVar Ball believes his son Lonzo Ball would still have been a Laker if Magic Johnson was the coach
LaVar Ball has been in contention several times for his outlandish comments about his sons. Previously, in 2017, Ball was under the heat when he claimed Lonzo to be a better player than the two-time league MVP Stephen Curry. Furthermore, LaVar was ardent with his belief that Lonzo was the ‘best player in the world,’ with specific comparisons to previous NBA MVPs LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.
In his recent appearance, LaVar Ball has come out with more comments about his eldest son’s career. Lonzo Ball has been ruled out from playing after he recently underwent a cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023.
The Chicago Bulls Vice President Arturas Karnisovas seems apprehensive of a possible return for Lonzo in this upcoming season either. Speaking to DJ Vlad on Lonzo’s career, LaVar still believes his son would have been a Laker, had Magic Johnson been the coach.
“The fact that if I got my son looking at you. He at UCLA, you in the Lakers backyard. The Lakers is doing raggedy. Any top pick going to a raggedy team. My son going to LA. If you don’t pick him…Now this is somebody who told me something…Word on the thing was man, we not going to renew the contract for the TV rights for the Lakers if you don’t get this boy Lonzo, who in your backyard. That’s what I heard. Now I can really talk crazy. I guarantee you my son going to the Lakers. Can you imagine, if they didn’t pick Lonzo and he in their backyard? And the best point guard? If Magic was the coach my son would still be there.”
It was quite startling to hear LaVar claim that the Lakers would lose their TV deal if they had not signed Lonzo Ball. Nevertheless, regardless of such outrageous claims, LaVar Ball still continues to be the ultimate hype man for the Ball brothers and their journey through the NBA.
LaMelo Ball had to return to high school in order to get drafted into the NBA
LaMelo Ball was the next rising prospect for LaVar Ball to launch into the NBA. The Charlotte Hornets’ third overall pick from 2020 had already played pro overseas in Lithuania. However, LaVar Ball was later revealed that his son would not be eligible for the NBA draft, given a clause mandated him to complete high school.
After he left Chino Hills High School to play for Prenei in Lithuania, Melo returned to join the Spire Institute to play under former NBA star Jermaine Jackson. As Spire was a preparatory school, Melo was not considered for the McDonald’s All-American Game despite being one of the best prospects from his draft class.
Eventually, this forced LaVar Ball to send his son for another professional stint with the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s ABL. Currently, two of LaVar’s sons are already playing in the league while another is coming up as an impactful upcoming rookie.
