LaVar Ball keeps grabbing headlines as his antics in part overshadow Lonzo Ball’s pursuit of the 2017 NBA draft.
On his own, Lonzo is a great prospect in large part thanks to his elite game sense and ability to get those around him involved. He isn’t a jaw-dropping athlete, but a court general with enough upside to come off the board in the top three.
Except LaVar has battled with shoe companies. The Big Baller Brand had an iffy shoe release. He’s said he could take on Michael Jordan and that Lonzo is already better than Stephen Curry. It’s an any-press-is-good-press approach, yet one has to wonder if teams will see this and shy away.
According to people who spoke with the New York Post‘s Marc Berman, it won’t:
According to interviews with a dozen GMs, personnel directors and scouts, LaVar Ball’s antics likely won’t cause Lonzo to slide past No. 2 in the June 22 draft. But some wonder if Lonzo wouldn’t be the clear-cut top pick if he didn’t come with the baggage his father creates with his series of outlandish statements, including one that struck some as racially insensitive.
It’s an in-depth piece worth a read, though the summary is simple—this is a concern on everyone’s mind, though it likely won’t push him past the second pick. At the same time, it might cost him No. 1 overall.
Either way, LaVar gets what he wants—attention on his son and brand. Which team takes the risk and how the father handles the situation is one of the more interesting storylines surrounding the 2017 season.
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