Big Baller Bummer
I am going to start off by saying that Lonzo Ball is obviously a great basketball player. However, his dad, LaVar Ball has already ruined Lonzo's public image. I had not heard very much or taken an interest in Lonzo until I read about some of LaVar's ridiculous claims. In fact, I had seen more of his youngest brother, LaMelo, than Lonzo. So if LaVar's intent was to bring his eldest into the public eye, he has definitely accomplished that. That being said, he did it in the worst way possible. Because of the ridiculous claims about the talent possessed by Lonzo, LaVar has effectively put a target on his son's back. The entire basketball world is going to be looking for him to fail and when he does, they'll be all over him. Lonzo seems to be a cool and collected player, but the NBA is going to hit him like a hammer. Yes, the boy has incredible talent, which is why his career at UCLA will only last one season, but amazing talent at the collegiate level is aggressively mediocre compared with the NBA. The statements that have been made about his skill are without a doubt insane. Anyone who claims a college freshman can switch places with 2-time NBA MVP, Steph Curry, obviously needs to be tested. LaVar wants a 1-billion dollar merchandise deal for his son, claiming that he has more market value than Jordan. All of this is unneeded pressure on a nineteen-year-old. On top of that, Lonzo's public image is already ruined. People already hate him and any performance that is less than god-like, will be a disappointment. I am glad that LaVar is proud of his son, but do him a favor and keep him out of the media.
