The Balls Being Balls

The Ball family is always good for a few laughs, and I am sure frustration among some basketball fans.

Earlier this year father of the year candidate LaVar Ball took his youngest son, and human catapult, LaMelo out of high school to home school him. Basically, read this as he took his son out of school so he could play basketball all day while someone else does the kid’s homework. Now following middle son LiAngelo’s arrest in China for shoplifting and indefinite suspension by UCLA LaVar has pulled LiAngelo out of college.

Now stick with me here, LaVar has a plan. He has signed an agent for his two sons and has announced that he intends for the boys to play internationally. OK, now you can go for the facepalm.

Not only is he confident that LiAngelo, age 19, and LeMelo, age 16, are ready to play professionally but he also has suggested that teams in Europe want to sign both of his kids to the same team.

Spanish club MoraBanc Andorra GM Francesc Solana said that LaVar approached him last week and offered the team the opportunity to sign both of his sons, which Solana made it clear that his answer was a clear and definite “No”. During an interview with Bleacher Report Solana said it isn’t the money, though there is a process that can add up in cost, but that neither kid has experience, they aren’t being seriously taken as NBA projects and the team does not want to deal with LaVar. 

Italian club Scandone Avellino GM Nicola Alberani basically said the same thing, adding that as far as he knows no European coaches, GMs or even NBA scouts that he has worked with has even seen LiAngelo or LaMelo play live and that if any team does sign them it will be a lower tier team and only as a PR stunt.

As an NBA fan I don’t think these kids are being directed properly for their own future, but just being used as advertisement by the LaVar, who is more interested in pimping his brand over his kid’s best interest.