None of LaVar Ball’s sons have yet to log a single minute in the NBA, but their father is already establishing a brand for them, a brand he believes is worth $1 billion. Yesterday, during an interview with USA Today, Mr.Ball had a lot to say not only about his kids but his own basketball abilities as well. Lavar went on record stating that back when he was still in the prime of his basketball career, he would “kill Michael Jordan one-on-one”.
“I would just back him(Jordan) in and lift him off the ground and call a foul every time he fouls me when I do a jump hook to the right or the left,” said Ball confidently. “He cannot stop me one-on-one. He better makes every shot ’cause he can’t go around me. He’s not fast enough. And he can only make so many shots outside before I make every bucket under the rim.” Shocking words to say the least, as Michael Jordan was a 9x first team all defense in his 15-year career. These words also come from a man who averaged 2.2 points in college while attending Washington State and never played a minute of NBA basketball.
After going on his rant about how he would dominate Michael Jordan, LaVar laid out his demands for his sons if any shoe company wanted to sign them. “A billion dollars, it has to be there,” said Ball. “That’s our number, a billion, straight out of the gate. And you don’t even have to give it to me all up front. Give us one hundred million over 10 years.” Ball claims that if any company, whether it be Nike, Adidas, Under Armor or whoever comes knocking, will have to sign all three of his sons at one time for any ink to touch paper.
Currently, his son Lonzo Ball is preparing alongside his UCLA teammates for the NCAA tournament coming up, while sons LiAngelo and LaMelo who play for Chino Hills High school, face off against Bishop Montgomery in the CIF Boys State Basketball Championship. With all the pressure their father is already putting on them to be great, you can imagine just how hard they all work to ensure that they can back up all the talking he’s been doing this year.
