http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...arrison-gaines
Liangelo and LaMelo sign with agent and will play overseas.
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club
How many teams will say Nyet to having to deal with Lavar?
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
I don't think I've ever seen a worse case of parenting. So dad is putting his sons' future in the BBB basket, which is all dependent on them actually being successful. They may be, but more than likely only one has a guaranteed future. So for the long term, Lonzo has to carry the weight of supporting his entire family.
None of them has an education, and LaMelo doesn't even have a HS diploma to show off. (And likely never will.)
One significant injury, or simply bad play, will leave #3 dependent on #1 for life. And blaming dad.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
If they want LaMelo they have to take LiAngelo too. (And promise to play him?)"I don't care about the money," LaVar Ball said on Thursday morning. "I want them to go somewhere where they will play them together on the court at the same time. The priority is for the boys to play on the same team."
Maybe Syria has a professional basketball team and would like to have two straight-arrow American players. Oh, wait...
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"I don't care about the money," LaVar Ball said on Thursday morning. "I want them to go somewhere where they will play them together on the court at the same time. The priority is for the boys to play on the same team."
Lonzo, are you listening to me?
I said, LaMelo, what do you want to be?
I said, LiAngelo, you can make real your dreams
But you got to know this one thing
No man does it all by himself
I said, Lonzo, put your pride on the shelf
And just go there, to the YMCA
I'm sure they can help you today
It's fun to play at the YMCA
It's fun to play at the YMCA!
So Lamelo will likely have 2.5 years of professional basketball experience before he is eligible for the NBA draft in the summer of 2020. This cold workout in his favor or it could be a disaster. The kid is very talented.
Why not? I mean, what would be more ironic than the Ball Bros playing professionally in China? It would be even more funny if they were promised playing time and then couldn't get off the bench for their team because they aren't that good. The CBA is full of ex-NBAers and once-notable D1 college guys (Carlos Boozer & Shav Randolph!), so the level of talent is probably way better than what the 2 younger Balls bring to the table. Lavar would freak out and probably doing something really dumb, like piss off everyone in China. I'm rooting for it.
I have trouble seeing a lot of appealing places for a teenage LaMelo AND LiAngelo to go play together. Also, I wonder if LaVar understands the restrictions most international leagues place on Americans per team. It's going to be hard to find a team that is willing to take on ONE of them, let alone both. And whatever team might be willing to take both probably isn't going to be a very good team in a good league (read: won't be able to pay much).
Ultimately, there was never going to be a good "play" for LiAngelo, because he apparently just isn't that good. His best bet (aside from just mooching off his brother) was to get his degree from UCLA. No?
As for LaMelo, this does not seem like a good decision for at all. He's almost certainly not physically ready to play against professionals, let alone in a foreign country where protections for players can be suspect and the team's interests most certainly trump the player's. And on top of that he actually WAS a pretty highly rated recruit. Not as good as Lonzo, but still a top-20 kid in his class. Even if he didn't go to UCLA, he'd be an immediate star at almost any college he chose, and would set himself up nicely to get drafted. Now? Yeesh. It's a very dangerous gamble.
It seems that LaVar has now leveraged both his oldest and youngest sons in an attempt to further the career of the less talented middle son. It hasn't wound up costing Lonzo anything but money so far. But it may have a huge negative impact on LaMelo.
Remember Lonzo's coming out party in the league? I think it has abated some, but he got everyone's best shot, and then some. Can you imagine physically immature LeMelo getting the same welcome during his games? He is likely in for a brutal initiation to professional basketball. Placing him on immediate injury watch.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
You're right, they probably won't get an offer anything close to what Lavar wants. Apparently, international teams already know these guys are a joke. Check out this article: a lithuanian team offered the Balls a security gig.
I'm sure at least part of this choice relates to the fact that Lavar likely blew LaMelo's NCAA eligibility by giving him a signature shoe. I suspect the uncertainty about his eligibility would significantly cut the number of teams recruiting him (assuming UCLA planned to cut ties with LaMelo).
looks like they signed with an agent, so, that ship has saled...
"One POSSIBLE future. From your point of view... I don't know tech stuff.".... Kyle Reese