LeVar Ball: So Much for It Being an Act
On NBA Draft night, just before the Los Angeles Lakers were to announce their first-round pick, part-owner Magic Johnson made a phone call.
It was to mankind's latest iteration of Darth Vader, without the pinache.
Magic wasn't sure he or his organization wanted to cope with LaVar Ball's over-the-top antics, so he wanted to know firsthand what the deal was.
Ball was ready with the words that would get his oldest kid selected by his dream team.
Here's how Magic put it:
| He just said it's marketing. That's what he had to do to market not only his son but the [BBB] brand. Before I met him, I'd already thought that. I already knew what he was doing. |
Can't kid a kidder. Right?
| Earvin, look, I'm not following my son. I'm not going to be hanging out in LA. I'm going to be training these young kids [ie- his other sons]. |
Maybe Magic was just satisfied that dude would take his jerkitude elsewhere, act or not.
Because, to date, that's all Ball did. As in Las Vegas, where he's coaching youngest son LaMelo in an adidas-sponsored AAU tournament.
More accurately put, his kid and a few teammates gave Ball an excuse to steal the spotlight from everyone else.
That included female referees, one of whom T'd him up earlier in the tourney and then got the assignment to officiate another one of his games. The result was inevitable:
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If nothing else, adidas cemented its title as Whore Company of the Year.
That's how far you'll sink for filthy lucre, dudes?
Long story short, the empowered Ball's antics continued until a male-gender T got him tossed.
His poorly-coached team soon followed, losing an abbreviated game -- the officials, especially, were done with the charade -- and the ineptly-named Big Ballers were finished, eliminated.
Bummer for those kids who weren't his son and could've used more looks from the college coaches on hand.
The sideshow continued elsewhere in town, with Ball only mildly chastened and still full of himself.
For instance, here's how he viewed his run-in with the female ref:
| I wish her the best. I don't want her to be like, 'I'm the one who gave LaVar a tech.' Don't let that be your career. Keep striving to be the best. |
As if she'd think T'ing up a bench-warmer from Wazzu who can't coach would be 'her career'.
Look, there's nothing wrong with being a villain. It's a choice.
But if, in the process, you're dicking around with kids -- their present and future -- you're lower than superficial entertainment value.
You're a douche.
Good luck with trusting dude's words, Magic.