Lonzo Ball and his father LaVar appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night, the perfect transition from the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA title to NBA Draft season. The Big Baller Brand due talked about their infamous ZO2 signature shoes while Ball made his usual bombastic claims about he and his sons.
Lonzo appeared on the program wearing a pair of his ZO2s, wearing a Big Baller Brand hoodie and a BBB hat. LaVar, meanwhile, wore a BBB tie featuring rainbow-shimmering letters up near the knot.
Kimmel asked about LaVar’s infamous claim that he could beat Michael Jordan playing 1-on-1. The host asked if the claim was real, and Ball actually doubled down on it, saying not only would he win, he would make him cry.
“You know it’s real, too. He’s too small. He’s too little,” Ball said. If you’re weighing 210 pounds, we’re playing 1-on-1. You know I’m undefeated playing 1-on-1. I don’t ever lose 1-on-1.
“If he played me he’d cry.”
Kimmel asked if that’s a game that could be set up now, but Ball replied “Who wants to watch two 40-year-olds play now?” The answer, of course, would be a lot of people. Especially the people that have seen Ball actually play pickup before.
Kimmel then turned his attention to Lonzo, asking if he could beat Jordan right now in 1-on-1, and he says yes. LaVar adds that Lonzo could beat anyone who was 50 years old, which, sure. Line up every middle-aged person in America and let’s make it happen.
Kimmel later asked Lonzo if his dad ever bothered him, and the Ball son was quick to say, as he’s said all along, that the two get along just fine.
“Nah, I love him. He’s always been there for me,” Ball said before getting interrupted by Kimmel.
“Blink three times if you feel like you want him to go away,” Kimmel said, which got both Balls laughing.
“We have a close relationship,” LaVar said. “I know what he’s about, he knows what I’m about.”
“What is he about?” Kimmel asked Lonzo.
“He just wants the best for his kids,” Lonzo replied. He later says he’ll be the “best Ball” out of his two brothers. There’s also a segment where Lonzo talks about his desire to play for the Lakers.
It’s not exactly any new ground, and it’s kind of messy television with all the talking over one another, but it is another chance for LaVar to be his charming self while Lonzo gets the best seat in the house for the show.
It’s clear that we’ll be seeing plenty of LaVar Ball as the draft nears, but what isn’t clear anymore is what the Los Angeles Lakers will do with their pick. They reportedly weren’t blown away by Lonzo during his workout last week, and they’ve since brought in other players like De’Aaron Fox and Josh Jackson to evaluate their options with the second overall pick.
It’s clear that Lonzo Ball has gotten more press than any other prospect in the Draft. What no one seems to know just yet is if he’s better than the other, less-newsworthy members of the prospect pool.
