Lavar Ball and Kristine Leahy exchange words

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Not meant as a criticism of you, but what a world we live in if Lonzo Ball is downgraded because solely his old man is a clown, but Josh Jackson is OK, despite the fact he vandalized a fellow student's car and threatened to "beat her a**."

Unfortunately, we are a visual people. We only get uncomfortable if we can see it for ourselves. We have seen Lonzo's dad act a fool. He have only heard about Josh Jackson committing acts of violence. One is clearly more grievous than the other but we care about what we've seen with our own eyes.

[StillAWarrior]

Has Fultz signed a big shoe deal?  Jackson?  Tatum?  Fox?  Monk?  Any of these guys?

Lavar's sole goal is to keep the spotlight on his son and his family, and that's all that has happened.

I don't know if I agree that that is his sole goal.  He wants to make money -- and help his kids make money.  Sure, he wants to keep the spotlight, but he also wants to turn the attention into cash.  Clearly, he's enormously successful in getting the spotlight.  Time will tell if they can cash in.  I suspect that he'll do OK.  If Lonzo (or the brother(s)) tears it up, they could do really well.  If not, they may be walking away from a lot of money.  As I said above, I just hope he doesn't pre-spend all Lonzo's NBA money on business ventures that might not be profitable.

Also, the shoe is way too expensive.  It's stuff like that that worries me.  The price point was great for getting attention, but perhaps not so good for making money.  Again...time will tell.

[Jay Bee]

eh, Lonzo has already said the younger youngest brother is better, so once the younger youngest one gets to college and/or the NBA he'll have his attention divided.

FIFY. Younger bro arriving this year at UCLA. Not as good. YoungEST is a couple years away.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

At least the Leahy/Ball exchange wasn't premeditated.

(Of course it was.)

I knew Leahy in high school; thinking ahead was not her strong suit.

[4everwarriors]

Put the blame where it belongs. Lavar's just a sensational ass hole. Totally unnecessary to act like a prick to her, but that's his shtick. Hope da dude chokes on his own vomit. As for KL, she'll be just fine, hey?

[WarriorInNYC]

Unfortunately, we are a visual people. We only get uncomfortable if we can see it for ourselves. We have seen Lonzo's dad act a fool. He have only heard about Josh Jackson committing acts of violence. One is clearly more grievous than the other but we care about what we've seen with our own eyes.

Exactly, case in point is how the world/public views Ray Rice versus how the world/public views Terrell Suggs.  Video exists in one and not the other.

And to further elaborate your point, the Josh Jackson act of violence happened, and the team that takes him hopes it does not occur again.  With Lavar Ball, you know going in that this guy is not going away and he will always make himself be in the spotlight.  (Just to clarify, along with TAMU, that Jackson's action is obviously more grievous and despicable).

[wadesworld]

Exactly, case in point is how the world/public views Ray Rice versus how the world/public views Terrell Suggs.  Video exists in one and not the other.

And to further elaborate your point, the Josh Jackson act of violence happened, and the team that takes him hopes it does not occur again.  With Lavar Ball, you know going in that this guy is not going away and he will always make himself be in the spotlight.  (Just to clarify, along with TAMU, that Jackson's action is obviously more grievous and despicable).

Interestingly enough while we were sitting around our gate at LAX waiting to fly back to Milwaukee after one of our volleyball tournaments a couple of the kids I coached came over and asked me, "Hey Pat, isn't that a football player over there?"  Over in the distance was what looked kind of like Terrell Suggs so I jokingly said it was him, not thinking it really was.  They got all excited and were like, "Yeah you're right!"  When him and 2 of his boys got into line at McDonald's I told them that I was pretty sure it wasn't him but they told me to go stand next to him and see if it was him.  I decided why not, figured I could look on his arms to see if I could see any distinguishable tattoos, and went and stood behind him in the McDonald's line.  Sure enough, he had a sleeve tattoo down one forearm and not down the other (not to mention how massive of a human being he was).  The extend of the conversation I stood next to him for was him telling his buddies, "I was going to kill that b****!"  Sounded like a guy who learned a thing or two from Ray Lewis.

[tower912]

Makes Tim Maymon looks like a puppy.  Parents acting like clowns is nothing new.  It isn't dictated by race or social strata.  Go to a little league tournament sometime.  The misogyny pisses me off.

[4everwarriors]

Interestingly enough while we were sitting around our gate at LAX waiting to fly back to Milwaukee after one of our volleyball tournaments a couple of the kids I coached came over and asked me, "Hey Pat, isn't that a football player over there?"  Over in the distance was what looked kind of like Terrell Suggs so I jokingly said it was him, not thinking it really was.  They got all excited and were like, "Yeah you're right!"  When him and 2 of his boys got into line at McDonald's I told them that I was pretty sure it wasn't him but they told me to go stand next to him and see if it was him.  I decided why not, figured I could look on his arms to see if I could see any distinguishable tattoos, and went and stood behind him in the McDonald's line.  Sure enough, he had a sleeve tattoo down one forearm and not down the other (not to mention how massive of a human being he was).  The extend of the conversation I stood next to him for was him telling his buddies, "I was going to kill that b****!"  Sounded like a guy who learned a thing or two from Ray Lewis.

The dude flies dat cattle car, Southwest, hey?

[reinko]

Exactly, case in point is how the world/public views Ray Rice versus how the world/public views Terrell Suggs.  Video exists in one and not the other.

And to further elaborate your point, the Josh Jackson act of violence happened, and the team that takes him hopes it does not occur again.  With Lavar Ball, you know going in that this guy is not going away and he will always make himself be in the spotlight.  (Just to clarify, along with TAMU, that Jackson's action is obviously more grievous and despicable).

Najeh Davenport is certainly happy his, um, occurrence wasn't videotaped.

[rocket surgeon]

ya know, lavar would "kill" michael jordon one on one...back in his heyday of course.  lavar da laser averaged all of 2.2 points per game at washington state in his hey day

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/lonzo-balls-father-claims-he-would-have-killed-michael-jordan-one-on-one/

my opinion-he's gonna blow all his kids money because he feels it's his investment to date.  this story is not going to end well.  i know the nba has probably dealt with this kind of thing to some degree or another, but this guy is really really nuts. 

i apologize for the previous link posted-i corrected it above

[bradley center bat]

.

[bradley center bat]

Colin Cowheard comes out like an a$$hole in those interviews....should've ended the interview, can't let Ball talk to a coworker that way.

Kristen did well standing up for herself. Colin gave the reason why he didn't say anything.

[bradley center bat]

I knew Leahy in high school; thinking ahead was not her strong suit.

You wish you knew her. She did think ahead! 

[GGGG]

I'm I were the Lakers (or anyone else), I wouldn't touch him. Not a transcendent player and his dad is just too much of a distraction risk for a young team.

If I were the Lakers, I would try to trade him for a 2nd round pick.  If you can't get that, I would cut him.

Huge mistake drafting him.

[rocket surgeon]

i'd find this hard to believe, but it's as if magic caved to lavar and bought in to his "snake oil".  i know he knows talent, but then what happened here?  ya saw what you were getting right out in you back yard.  magic should have challenged lavar to a game of one on one.  magic wins-he doesn't have to take 'zo

[GGGG]

Does Magic actually "know talent?"  What has he done as a GM to show that's the case?

[cheebs09]

Does Magic actually "know talent?"  What has he done as a GM to show that's the case?

Based on his Twitter account, you can?t help but notice his qualifications for GM. Some pretty outside the box thinking on free agent pickups.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/best-magic-johnson-tweets-twitter-nba-playoffs

[MerrittsMustache]

Adding in the fact that the guy taken right after Ball looks like a complete stud doesn't help matters either.

Kuzma can play so he's got that going for him.

[Silkk the Shaka]

If I were the Lakers, I would try to trade him for a 2nd round pick.  If you can't get that, I would cut him.

Huge mistake drafting him.

Try to package Lonzo and some future picks for Trae Young and Magic will have what he thought he was getting in Ball

[JWags85]

If I were the Lakers, I would try to trade him for a 2nd round pick.  If you can't get that, I would cut him.

Huge mistake drafting him.

You can complain about Lavar and having Lonzo in LA with Lavar around may be a very valid issue, however, you can't bury the kid as a player.  And trading him for a 2nd round pick would be asinine and very short sighted and reactionary.

Lonzo is currently averaging 10-7-7 (P/R/A).  He's shooting poorly from 3, but his percentages from behind the arc, and as well overall, are up almost 10% over Dec/Jan than the start of the season in Oct/Nov.  His comparisons to Jason Kidd are almost eerie.  Kidd was at 11-5-8 as a rookie and actually shot a worse percentage from deep.  Their eFG% is almost identical at 43%. 

He's 20 years old, playing on a pretty bad team.  I don't think he's the next Magic Johnson, but he has incredible vision, creativity, and basketball IQ.  He can figure out scoring.  If he really needs to get out of LA, you wait and get value for him.  There is absolutely no reason to sell low on Lonzo the player, despite how obnoxious his Dad may be.

Tatum is a stud for sure, but he's also on a VERY good team with great running mates and one of the best 3-5 coaches in the league.  I think Walton is a good coach, but he's still figuring things out after inheriting a MESS.

[Benny B]

Based on his Twitter account, you can?t help but notice his qualifications for GM. Some pretty outside the box thinking on free agent pickups.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/best-magic-johnson-tweets-twitter-nba-playoffs

I suppose if you're going to sign every player in the NBA, Lonzo's going to be in there somewhere eventually.  So I'm sure drafting Lonzo made all the sense in the world to Magic.

Predicting Future Magic Tweets:

"Someone is posting about basketball with the account @OrlandoMagic.  That is not me.  Orlando is in Florida, I'm in L.A."

"That [winter olympian/team that won the gold medal] is really good.  We should go after them in the off-season."

"Even if the Lakers signed everyone from Golden State, the Warriors would still have a championship team."

"Those Ball brothers from Latvia are a pretty good duo.  The Lakers should sign them.  Their family would love LA."

[MerrittsMustache]

He's 20 years old, playing on a pretty bad team.  I don't think he's the next Magic Johnson, but he has incredible vision, creativity, and basketball IQ.  He can figure out scoring.  If he really needs to get out of LA, you wait and get value for him.  There is absolutely no reason to sell low on Lonzo the player, despite how obnoxious his Dad may be.

I agree that you don't just dump Lonzo.

That said, there's a difference between being a father who's an obnoxious self-promoter and being a person with connections inside an organization making derogatory comments about the head coach losing his players.

[GGGG]

You can complain about Lavar and having Lonzo in LA with Lavar around may be a very valid issue, however, you can't bury the kid as a player.  And trading him for a 2nd round pick would be asinine and very short sighted and reactionary.

Lonzo is currently averaging 10-7-7 (P/R/A).  He's shooting poorly from 3, but his percentages from behind the arc, and as well overall, are up almost 10% over Dec/Jan than the start of the season in Oct/Nov.  His comparisons to Jason Kidd are almost eerie.  Kidd was at 11-5-8 as a rookie and actually shot a worse percentage from deep.  Their eFG% is almost identical at 43%. 

He's 20 years old, playing on a pretty bad team.  I don't think he's the next Magic Johnson, but he has incredible vision, creativity, and basketball IQ.  He can figure out scoring.  If he really needs to get out of LA, you wait and get value for him.  There is absolutely no reason to sell low on Lonzo the player, despite how obnoxious his Dad may be.

Tatum is a stud for sure, but he's also on a VERY good team with great running mates and one of the best 3-5 coaches in the league.  I think Walton is a good coach, but he's still figuring things out after inheriting a MESS.

I think you can absolutely bury the kid as a player if his father continues to use this odd platform he has developed  to undermine the coach and the team. 

[JWags85]

I suppose if you're going to sign every player in the NBA, Lonzo's going to be in there somewhere eventually.  So I'm sure drafting Lonzo made all the sense in the world to Magic.

Predicting Future Magic Tweets:

"Someone is posting about basketball with the account @OrlandoMagic.  That is not me.  Orlando is in Florida, I'm in L.A."

"That [winter olympian/team that won the gold medal] is really good.  We should go after them in the off-season."

"Even if the Lakers signed everyone from Golden State, the Warriors would still have a championship team."

"Those Ball brothers from Latvia are a pretty good duo.  The Lakers should sign them.  Their family would love LA."

"Alabama deserved to win the National Championship last night, they scored more points"

I agree that you don't just dump Lonzo.

That said, there's a difference between being a father who's an obnoxious self-promoter and being a person with connections inside an organization making derogatory comments about the head coach losing his players.

I don't disagree, and agree that he probably needs to get out of LA.  But I think people are using this as yet another reason to downgrade him as a player.  Which is why this is all so unfortunate.  He's supposedly a great kid, and now, the need to aggressively fade the negative influence and persona of Lavar is morphing into a contrarian view of a promising rookie with a solid first season.  Just cause his Dad thinks he's better than Steph Curry doesn't mean you have to be like "nah, he sucks, what a bust, he cant even shoot!"