LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 19: Lonzo Ball #2 of the UCLA Bruins looks on in the second half of the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Pauley Pavilion on January 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Shout out to Lonzo Ball for having some hometown loyalty and priorities. Whatever is the opposite of a shout out to LaVar Ball for once again acting a fool. The elder Ball-man is trying to lock in a 10-year, $1 billion shoe deal for his three sons despite the fact that none of them have played a single minute in the NBA. The younger Ball, on the other hand, is proving that money comes second to him behind comfort.
While appearing on ESPNs SportsNation, Ball was asked if he’d rather be the No. 1 overall pick in this summer’s draft or be selected by his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. Here’s what he said.
“I’m going to go with the Lakers. All my family is in L.A., so to be able to play in front of them, I think that would mean more to me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ8LBT9ZXU0
Boom, that’s how you start building a positive brand around yourself, not by making boisterous and outlandish statements (unless you’re Conor McGregor).
Although the Lakers have not-so-secretly been tanking this season, they still “only” own the league’s third-worst record with four games to go. In this scenario, that’s an issue. L.A. has a 46.9% chance of landing a top three pick, but if they slide to fourth or lower then they must send the selection to the Philadelphia 76ers as a result of the 2012 Steve Nash trade.
Don’t you hate when ancient history comes back to bite you in the ass?
If that happens, all the Lakers will have is the first-round pick they acquired from the Houston Rockets in the Lou Williams deal, which currently sits at No. 28. Ball is projected to be a top-two pick in June’s draft. Complicating matters even further is the legit shot the Boston Celtics – L.A.’s biggest rival – have at landing the top pick via the Brooklyn Nets. Would Bostonians really embrace Ball knowing he’d rather be in purple and gold? LaVar doesn’t seem to think it’s a big issue.
Via WEEI-FM:
“I want him to be a Laker, but that’s just my opinion. It wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh man he gotta go to Boston.’ I’d love him to stay in L.A. But that’s just me though…
It’s not about me liking [the Celtics] or disliking them. It’s just that we’re west coast guys. I’d love for him to stay on the west coast where his brothers can see him all the time. We’re a real big family. That’s just the only difference. But my son will play for any team on the fact that his goal was to make it to the NBA. So it doesn’t matter what team he plays for.”
We’ll see how it all shakes out in the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22.
