LaVar Ball Pullin’ Out...

[Pakuni]

Looks like lesser Ball brothers are heading overseas in a package deal.

LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball have reached an agreement to sign professional basketball deals with Lithuanian club Prienu Vytautas, the team's coach/GM and Balls' agent told ESPN.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21741604/liangelo-lamelo-ball-serious-talks-lithuanian-basketball-club

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

For LiAngelo's and LaMelo's sake, I really hope this is what they wanted and didn't go to Lithuania because "dad said so."

Can't imagine a 16 year old kid would want to leave his friends and comfortable life in SoCal to go live and play in Lithuania for 3 years on his own accord. Guess money talks though.

[StillAWarrior]

For LiAngelo's and Lamello's sake, I really hope this is what they wanted and didn't go to Lithuania because "dad said so."

Can't imagine a 16 year old kid would want to leave his friends and comfortable life in SoCal to go live and play in Lithuania for 3 years on his own accord. Guess money talks though.

According to ESPN (FWIW) it would seem that even the team views this as a publicity stunt.  I'm having a hard time believing that this will help set a solid foundation for LaMelo's NBA future.  Lonzo is lucky as hell he "got out" before his dad lost all touch with reality.

[rocket surgeon]

 
       fool me once...fool me two or tree more times though ain't gonna happen.  it's going to be interesting how lithuania is going to handle the mr.  they better give the "ball boys" a little walk thru on the laws of the land.  be a shame to see 'em locked up for doing nothing serious again.  i doubt potus will be in any hurry to rescue lavar's lil darlins from being bent over behind the wood shed, ain'er?

[Jockey]

According to ESPN (FWIW) it would seem that even the team views this as a publicity stunt.  I'm having a hard time believing that this will help set a solid foundation for LaMelo's NBA future.  Lonzo is lucky as hell he "got out" before his dad lost all touch with reality.

They are playing for a very low level team over there, so publicity is the best option for the owners. I don't expect they will love the experience of being in a small town of 10,000 people after growing up in LA. Those balmy 60 degree July days are not gonna feel like home. The same longitude as Denmark and southern Sweden.

There are no other Americans on the team and they have never had any notable players. Strictly low level stuff.

"Thanks a lot, Dad!!"

[GoldenDieners32]

16 and pro. Wow.

[forgetful]

They are playing for a very low level team over there, so publicity is the best option for the owners. I don't expect they will love the experience of being in a small town of 10,000 people after growing up in LA. Those balmy 60 degree July days are not gonna feel like home. The same longitude as Denmark and southern Sweden.

There are no other Americans on the team and they have never had any notable players. Strictly low level stuff.

"Thanks a lot, Dad!!"

Sounds like a good place for them to potentially vanish into obscurity. 

[forgetful]

Looks like lesser Ball brothers are heading overseas in a package deal.

LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball have reached an agreement to sign professional basketball deals with Lithuanian club Prienu Vytautas, the team's coach/GM and Balls' agent told ESPN.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21741604/liangelo-lamelo-ball-serious-talks-lithuanian-basketball-club

Well doesn't that article read as a ringing endorsement of the Ball's abilities:

"LaMelo has the potential to play in the NBA someday, especially if he were on a more traditional development path. Even so, his shot selection is questionable and he has struggled to impact winning. LaMelo is a career 30 percent 3-point shooter, according to Krossover data (42 games and 605 attempts).


LiAngelo, 19, is a thick-framed, 6-foot-5 player who offers little value outside of occasional spot-up shooting. He projected as a mid-major college player out of high school and wasn't expected to be in UCLA's regular rotation. He would be expected to struggle to add any value in the Lithuanian or Baltic leagues. He is a career 32 percent 3-point shooter on 590 attempts, according to Krossover data. LiAngelo is a limited ball handler and defender, and plays strictly below the rim."

So two players that barely shoot over 30% and offer next to no value to a low level lithuanian team. 

[StillAWarrior]

Well doesn't that article read as a ringing endorsement of the Ball's abilities:

I read that and my second thought (after, "wow...that's a pretty harsh assessment...") was that ESPN has now resorted to trolling LaVar Ball.  I'm not saying it's inaccurate, but ESPN knows that a fired up Ball is good for ratings.

[GGGG]

16 and pro. Wow.

16 and pro isn't *that* unusual over in Europe.  They aren't as weirdly obsessed with amateurism as we are.

[GGGG]

They are playing for a very low level team over there, so publicity is the best option for the owners. I don't expect they will love the experience of being in a small town of 10,000 people after growing up in LA. Those balmy 60 degree July days are not gonna feel like home. The same longitude as Denmark and southern Sweden.

There are no other Americans on the team and they have never had any notable players. Strictly low level stuff.

"Thanks a lot, Dad!!"

Really is tragic for those kids. 

[Galway Eagle]

16 and pro isn't *that* unusual over in Europe.  They aren't as weirdly obsessed with amateurism as we are.

For mainland Europe maybe, but in Scotland and Ireland there's a nuts obsession with amateurism that might even surpass ours.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I thought there was less than a 10% chance that LaMelo ever played at UCLA. I just thought it would be because LiAngelo would be glued to the bench and Lavar would pull LiAngelo and LaMelo out because "Alford doesn't know how to coach his kids." Did not see the causing an international incident coming.

[StillAWarrior]

I thought there was less than a 10% chance that LaMelo ever played at UCLA. I just thought it would be because LiAngelo would be glued to the bench and Lavar would pull LiAngelo and LaMelo out because "Alford doesn't know how to coach his kids." Did not see the causing an international incident coming.

I thought that there was less than 10% chance that LaMelo would manage to maintain amateur status long enough to play for UCLA.  But not like this.  I thought that LaVar would cause him to lose his amateur status through connections with and income from BBB, and then try to be the face of a lawsuit challenging the NCAA's amateurism rules.  That would be right up his alley:  "You're not going to allow him to play NCAA hoops because he's part of the family business?!"  Two months ago, I would have bet money on this happening.  And, of course, I'd have lost.

[GGGG]

Fran Fraschilla‏
@franfraschilla

Prominant former American player who played for Ball brothers's new coach had some insight on him: 1. Competent coach w/free-wheeling pick-and-roll offense. 2. Speaks no English 3. Screams the entire game. 4. Sold meat out of his car trunk to his players after practice. I swear.

---

This is going to be fun!!!

[StillAWarrior]

Fran Fraschilla‏
@franfraschilla

Prominant former American player who played for Ball brothers's new coach had some insight on him: 1. Competent coach w/free-wheeling pick-and-roll offense. 2. Speaks no English 3. Screams the entire game. 4. Sold meat out of his car trunk to his players after practice. I swear.

---

This is going to be fun!!!

That's just how Big Ballers ball.