Lonzo Ball’s NBA debut during the Lakers’ Summer League game with the Clippers left many wanting more from the reported future of the team. Despite a fine start with Brandon Ingram that earned some highlight treatment from the NBA, Ball turned in a performance featuring five points, five assists, and three turnovers over his 33 minutes on the court. It’s Summer League, but all eyes are on Ball thanks to his hype man and father LaVar building him up to the moon. The elder Ball was giving interviews and joining the commentary team all night, representing Big Baller Brand and stealing some of the spotlight from his son.
Considering the attention his first game received, you’d have to think it only gets harder for Lonzo from here on. But according to LaVar Ball, it’s just a time for growth and his son is already changing things for the Lakers:
Lonzo had his worst game ever and only lost by 3-4 points. He still kept the team in the game having his worst game ever…It’s better for him to start at the bottom than all the success. He’s gonna grow.
I can show you what he can do. Look how many Lakers fans out here. He’s changing the culture. Instead of going to the movies, everyone is going to watch the Lakers and Big Baller Brand.
This should be marked as the first time that LaVar Ball has said anything negative about either of his sons, which is both admirable and amazing consider how much we’ve heard from him over the past year. That said, he brings it back around to those NBA Draft levels to say that Ball is already bringing people out to see the Lakers and changing the culture for the team.
LaVar Ball on Lonzo Ball's debut: "His worst game ever… [but] he changed the Lakers' culture." pic.twitter.com/u8g4OYJiey
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 8, 2017
Magic Johnson might disagree, but he’s also apparently gotten the inside story from LaVar Ball himself. Johnson knows it’s all just marketing for Ball’s son and the Big Baller Brand, which isn’t a big revelation at the end of the day. Still, it’s hard to imagine him keeping quiet once the season starts and the media comes knocking on his door.
(Via Bro Bible)
