Lonzo and his brother Chuck Cunningham and his other brother Chuck Cunningham

Valek123

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ESPN just ran 2-3 minutes during sportscenter on 2B and 3B's first practice and Papa B spoke for a bit. It's absolutely insane that this continues to draw national attention, I significantly underestimated his genius in getting his two younger sons constant attention. Amazing that one no talent and one potential talent kid get 2-3 minutes on ESPN, the top HS talent in this country must be nudging their fathers to become egomaniacs.
 

Sportsbstn

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People are desperate for flash, bravado and the me me me attention. All you have to do is look at reality TV and twitter and the more outlandish and stupid you are, the better. The kids are very likely a bust from the standpoint of making it to the NBA, but lavar is a show, basically for the bored or easily amused. These 2 kids should thank their father daily because they would never achieve what he is giving them.
 

JakeRae

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People are desperate for flash, bravado and the me me me attention. All you have to do is look at reality TV and twitter and the more outlandish and stupid you are, the better. The kids are very likely a bust from the standpoint of making it to the NBA, but lavar is a show, basically for the bored or easily amused. These 2 kids should thank their father daily because they would never achieve what he is giving them.
What is he giving them? A spotlight on their failings? A loss of the opportunity to gain a college degree? Maybe he turns this into a reality TV show or something and they make some money off of it, but right now, it's hard to see how they are gaining from the attention.
 

HomeRunBaker

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People are desperate for flash, bravado and the me me me attention. All you have to do is look at reality TV and twitter and the more outlandish and stupid you are, the better. The kids are very likely a bust from the standpoint of making it to the NBA, but lavar is a show, basically for the bored or easily amused. These 2 kids should thank their father daily because they would never achieve what he is giving them.
Yeah, without Dad they would never relinquish their 4 years of NCAA eligibility before playing a single game......or play for a B-Division Lithuanian Baltic League team for a coach who not only doesn't speak English but told a former American player, Billy Baron, that he wouldn't play him because he couldn't communicate with him due to the language barrier.

Forfeiting a free college education, sending them to Lithuania, and setting them up to fail on the court......and they should thank him???
 

mauf

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People are desperate for flash, bravado and the me me me attention. All you have to do is look at reality TV and twitter and the more outlandish and stupid you are, the better. The kids are very likely a bust from the standpoint of making it to the NBA, but lavar is a show, basically for the bored or easily amused. These 2 kids should thank their father daily because they would never achieve what he is giving them.
I’ll agree with others and say this is crazy.

LiAngelo got a full ride to UCLA based on his brothers’ talent. He should’ve ridden that wave where it took him. When he got busted in China, his Dad should’ve told him to eat a big slice of humble pie and work his way back into Alford’s good graces. Now, what the fuck is he going to do when his 15 minutes are up? He’s not going to be supporting a family in 30 years off his share of the fucking Big Baller Brand.

LaMelo might actually have had enough talent to make the NBA. This circus can’t be helping that cause — he needs to be back in California, playing high school and AAU ball. Maybe down the line, Europe would’ve been a better option than college for him, but his Dad had no business closing off the latter option for his son so early, and he’s obviously not going to get the coaching he needs in Lithuania.
 

shaggydog2000

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But they have their own Big Baller branded invitational series in Lithuania and get to film their reality show!

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21978438/lithuanian-team-prienu-vytautas-schedule-big-baller-brand-challenge-games

The games will be broadcast! On Facebook!

Also, I just need to add that the picture in the article with LaVar in front of the team looks exactly like one of those posed "Kim Jong Il looking at things" pictures. The Great Leader is clearly giving them invaluable instruction, which the 3 English speaking team members will appreciate greatly.
 

DJnVa

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Sigh

LiAngelo and LaMelo, along with LaVar and the entire family, were slated to accompany the team to its game in Vilnius on Saturday, but LaVar told ESPN that they did not make the trip after the opposing team did not initially allow the cameras from their reality show in the gym.
 

Sportsbstn

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Yeah, without Dad they would never relinquish their 4 years of NCAA eligibility before playing a single game......or play for a B-Division Lithuanian Baltic League team for a coach who not only doesn't speak English but told a former American player, Billy Baron, that he wouldn't play him because he couldn't communicate with him due to the language barrier.

Forfeiting a free college education, sending them to Lithuania, and setting them up to fail on the court......and they should thank him???
He will make them many millions. The kids drive Ferraris and lamborghinis. They don’t seem to care one iota about education. This isn’t 20 years ago, the balls are the Kardashians and will make a killing off the sheep. These kids will make more money hanging on to daddy than they ever would in their lifetime.
 

NickEsasky

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He looks like he should be competing against Pete Weber Jr in the PBA.
 

DJnVa

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Jello scored 10, the shoplifter scored 19.

Jello also apparently didn't really wanna play too much defense.
 

lars10

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But they have their own Big Baller branded invitational series in Lithuania and get to film their reality show!

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21978438/lithuanian-team-prienu-vytautas-schedule-big-baller-brand-challenge-games

The games will be broadcast! On Facebook!

Also, I just need to add that the picture in the article with LaVar in front of the team looks exactly like one of those posed "Kim Jong Il looking at things" pictures. The Great Leader is clearly giving them invaluable instruction, which the 3 English speaking team members will appreciate greatly.
I maybe missed something. Did BBB get a deal to outfit the league refs as part of the deal with the kids going over?
There's a BBB logo on the court as well. I missed the news as well, but now I suspect Lavar essentially bought his way into the league.
Are they still officially in a league? Isn’t this more of an invitational tourney (or just friendlies) or something as per the article shaggy posted?
 

HomeRunBaker

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I maybe missed something. Did BBB get a deal to outfit the league refs as part of the deal with the kids going over?
Either myself or someone else posted the link last week. The Lithuanian team plays some games in the top division but the majority in the Baltic League, essentially the B-Division. Part of the deal in bringing them to town was the team would drop out of the Baltic League and instead create "The Big Baller Challenge" which sets up games against even lower level teams than the Second tier Baltic League.

In other words, the Lithuanian second tier league was too competitive to get the Ball Bros. regular minutes so they bring in the Washington Generals......that's the Big Baller way!
 

shaggydog2000

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Either myself or someone else posted the link last week. The Lithuanian team plays some games in the top division but the majority in the Baltic League, essentially the B-Division. Part of the deal in bringing them to town was the team would drop out of the Baltic League and instead create "The Big Baller Challenge" which sets up games against even lower level teams than the Second tier Baltic League.

In other words, the Lithuanian second tier league was too competitive to get the Ball Bros. regular minutes so they bring in the Washington Generals......that's the Big Baller way!
And facebook money is paying for all the promotion, ref shirts, etc. I doubt the Balls are making much money from it. Maybe enough to pay for them living in a luxury spa there, but maybe not. I bet in a few years we're going to find out Lavar squandered all of Lonzo's first NBA contract and more on trying to look rich and run bad businesses.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Jello is the shoplifter. Lamelo is the high schooler
Right. It is crucial to differentiate the Bros if you want to follow along with the Big Baller Series. Jello is the worst of the bunch, a complete scrub. LaMelo is the young scorer in the family. It's so weird that all 3 have completely different games. Wonder how Lonzo feels about how his brothers are being handled.
 

DJnVa

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Yeah, money quote:

Vytautas coach Virginijus Seskus told ESPN he wasn't sure how much he would be able to play LiAngelo, 19, and LaMelo, 16, in Lithuanian league games
So, against teenagers, they can hold their own, which makes sense. Against adults? Well, perhaps that's why they should be playing in high school and college right now. Crazy.

Where will dad take them next? Chinese League?
 

JCizzle

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Yeah, money quote:



So, against teenagers, they can hold their own, which makes sense. Against adults? Well, perhaps that's why they should be playing in high school and college right now. Crazy.

Where will dad take them next? Chinese League?
Starbury would end them
 

reggiecleveland

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I am sad for these kids. This reminds me of a conversation I had Friday. A student of mine, a European ESL student is frustrated with her progress through the school system here in Canada. There are two problems, 1. it takes time and some failing to get educated in a second language, 2. She was not a strong student in her home country or first language. Her parents solution is so move to Korea because she is getting a bad deal in Canada. Amazing what people will do to avoid the harsh, even when it isn't that harsh, reality.

I mean Lavar the kids are average D1 players, enjoy it.
 

Cellar-Door

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This scout Fraschilla tweeted has a good insight.

Basically as expected they aren't good enough/ready for the real Lithuanian league. They should have been playing in the Baltic league, where they would be bench guys maybe if that, but the team and Lavar saw an opportunity for quick cash so they pulled their B team out of the Baltic league and started playing the "BBB challenge" which is basically a series of Friendlies against youth teams.

The most savagely true bit:


LaMelo has real potential, but he isn't going to develop if he isn't playing for a team at his level or in the NCAA
 

DJnVa

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Did they delete the tweets? Not seeing them. What was the savage one?
 

sezwho

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I am sad for these kids. This reminds me of a conversation I had Friday. A student of mine, a European ESL student is frustrated with her progress through the school system here in Canada. There are two problems, 1. it takes time and some failing to get educated in a second language, 2. She was not a strong student in her home country or first language. Her parents solution is so move to Korea because she is getting a bad deal in Canada. Amazing what people will do to avoid the harsh, even when it isn't that harsh, reality.

I mean Lavar the kids are average D1 players, enjoy it.
FWIW, as a relative of an ESL instructor, not all language barriers are equal - try learning history in Chinese. Still, if you can't make it in the Canadian system it doesn't bode well.

As to the basketball question, are the Lavar kids really average D1 players? Thats not the sense I'm getting.
 

HomeRunBaker

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FWIW, as a relative of an ESL instructor, not all language barriers are equal - try learning history in Chinese. Still, if you can't make it in the Canadian system it doesn't bode well.

As to the basketball question, are the Lavar kids really average D1 players? Thats not the sense I'm getting.
LaMelo projects to being in this "average D1 player" range if he builds his body properly (which based on his dietary reports isn't going so well) but the older one who was pulled from UCLA, LiAngelo, probably isn't even that. He had little chance of seeing any time at UCLA this season as a freshman.

It's always easy raising peoples kids from the outside but Lonzo was always the family meal ticket. The other two had an opportunity to earn a free college education while growing to eventually play a role on some D-1 team. It's painful to watch a father destroy their athletic eligibility which would have afforded them this chance.
 

DJnVa

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Middle kid probably could get minutes at a mid-major school (think CUSA-type) if he wanted to work a bit.

Eventually one of these kids is going to break from daddy and then this gets interesting.
 

sezwho

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LaMelo projects to being in this "average D1 player" range if he builds his body properly (which based on his dietary reports isn't going so well) but the older one who was pulled from UCLA, LiAngelo, probably isn't even that. He had little chance of seeing any time at UCLA this season as a freshman.
Thanks, thats about where I was coming down. As someone who is interested in the European development model (or at least the German one I'm somewhat more familiar with) where you go to school to get an education and play with a club team to learn your sport, I wonder whether getting them into a structured club development environment would be the right move. The current Lithuaniam arrangement doesn't seem long term, they clearly need the development, and aren't going to ride the "Ball" name anywhere in American college ball.

Obviously its easier in Europe where they fund higher education so you can play out your hoop dreams and choose school if it doesn't pan out, but it might be nice for the Ball's to have age appropriate coaching and not worry about biology class.
 

reggiecleveland

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An average d1 one guys does not get to play at UCLA, maybe ever, but for sure not as a freshman. The Bruins took middle kid to get the older one. They are pretty happy I expect, that the bargain ended so quickly. The younger kid could start at a place like Rutgers by junior year. My point is that of all the thousands of kids and parents slogging through the AAU circuit, an average D1 career would be sweet.
 

Cellar-Door

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Did they delete the tweets? Not seeing them. What was the savage one?
yeah as noted above it was something like:
"The youngest should go to a real youth team where he can develop and he has a chance, the older should enjoy the soup".
 

wnyghost

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People keep referencing a free ride at UCLA. There is still SOME college work needed to graduate with a degree from a decent program.

They have accepted that their older brother is their ticket to fame. What makes anyone think they are going to put any of the hard work on the court or class in?
 

HomeRunBaker

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People keep referencing a free ride at UCLA. There is still SOME college work needed to graduate with a degree from a decent program.

They have accepted that their older brother is their ticket to fame. What makes anyone think they are going to put any of the hard work on the court or class in?
What the heck are you even talking about? People are referencing a free 4-year college education that comes with an athletic scholarship. Nobody was criticizing the UCLA academic program in any way.....at least I wasn't, if I missed another comment my apologies.
 

sezwho

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What the heck are you even talking about? People are referencing a free 4-year college education that comes with an athletic scholarship. Nobody was criticizing the UCLA academic program in any way.....at least I wasn't, if I missed another comment my apologies.
I think the question was whether they would work enough to get that value.

Wny I don’t think you can conclude much about what they ‘accept’ other than they are taking direction from father whose personality is strong enough to go toe to toe with Steven A on national television and sort out a deal for them to play abroad
 

doc

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Dramatis Personae

Jeanie, queen of the Laker Nation, favored daughter of the late king

LaVar, an outspoken shoe merchant

Lonzo, a young soldier and LaVar’s first-born son

Luke, the new captain of the army

Pelinka, the general of the army
Prologue

Herald
Royal purple and precious gold
Are the banners of Lakers Nation
Under whose battered, dented dignity hides
Defeat and scenes of mutiny
For the kingdom ruled by Queen Jeanie Buss
Lays again near the bottom of the division
To test the patience of fair Los Angeles
Where the titles once seemed god-given
Enter thus, from the hills of Chino
LaVar, a verbose shoemaker.
And from his loins, his son Lonzo,
Whose loyalty, betwixt word and blood,
And obedience to good captainhood,
Will sorely now be tested.



https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/17/16899186/lakers-lonzo-ball-luke-walton-drama

Pretty funny read
 

SumnerH

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http://www.businessinsider.com/big-baller-negative-reviews-better-business-bureau-2018-1

Consumers aren't happy with Big Baller Brand. The Better Business Bureau has awarded them an F, in a BBB on BBB spat.
  • Big Baller Brand received an F rating from the Better Business Bureau—the worst possible rating a company can get.
  • The poor rating stems from a series of negative reviews and unresolved complaints from Big Baller Brand customers, including many who say that their credit cards have been charged without any word on the whereabouts of their purchase.
  • In response, LaVar Ball insulted the Better Business Bureau, saying “Who cares about them? Tell them that Yelp! has replaced the Better Business Bureau.”
 

InstaFace

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I didn't click on it to see more, but ESPN on its site had a link to go view the Ball brothers playing some team starting with a V. Did they sign some sort of broadcast deal with LaVar Ball? What a time to be alive.
 

DJnVa

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DJnVa

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And when Ball decided to pull Jello from school.

"How long does it take to tell somebody if they're going to play or not," said LaVar. "It's ridiculous. We came to school to play basketball. One and done anyway."

LaVar’s business partner, Alan Foster, suggested pulling LiAngelo out of UCLA.

"They're not stopping the future of a Ball boy," said LaVar. "Let's go get it done and say we're out."
One and done? LOL

https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-moment-lavar-ball-decided-160949774.html
 

DJnVa

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No one posting the highlights of their game today?

With dad on the sidelines, the high school one went for 43, the shoplifter for 37 and 10.
 

Reverend

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That this has been allowed to continue without intervention is the best evidence to date that I have that the Green Lantern Corps truly does not exist.