Lavar Ball is Nonsense, Again

Lavar Ball needs to just stop talking. He just needs to shut up. I'm over his schtick. I'm over his blowhard attitude. I'm over him saying that he will "talk it into existence". I'm just over it all. But what irks me the most about what he recently said was how ridiculous the statement is. He said, and I quote, "The Lakers will never win a title without my son. In fact, my son Lonzo is better than LeBron. The Lakers need him". Okay, lets break this nonsense down.

First off, the Lakers do not need him at all. If the Lakers had traded Lonzo Ball at the deadline, and I am not just limiting it to the Pelicans, it could have been any team, they wouldn't have missed him at all. I do think that Ball is an okay point guard. He is good at getting the ball out of his hands and finding the open guy and running the break. But, he does not add much else. Also, I think Rajon Rondo is better than him, especially for a team run by LeBron. Ball also cannot shoot the ball at all. His jumper is trash. He is afraid to drive to the rim because, if he gets fouled, he cannot shoot free throws. And he is currently hurt right now, and I totally forgot about it until I saw his dumbass post after not being traded yesterday. So no Mr Ball, the Lakers do ot need your son to win a title. I'm sure they would be better off with Rondo, or if they had drafted DeAron Fox instead, or if they go out and trade for another point guard or even draft one this year. The Lakers would be just fine without Lonzo. The Lakers definitely do not need him.

And then to say he is better than LeBron, I mean come on. I love my son. My son is an amazing individual. He is smart, loves baseball, is pretty good at it, he's super smart and funny and is just a good kid. But, if he were in the NBA right now, and on the Lakers, I would openly say that he is currently playing with the best player in the NBA in LeBron James. I would be thrilled that my son was in the NBA, and playing, but I would know better than to say that he is better than LeBron. No one in the current NBA is better than LeBron. Not a single player. Not Steph, not KD, not AD, not Kawhi, none of them. LeBron is better than them all. In fact, I think that LeBron is the second greatest player in the NBA ever, behind Michael Jordan. So for Lavar Ball to say that his son, who has been more of a disappointment than a star in his first two seasons, is better than LeBron is pure nonsense and puts so much more undue pressure on his kid, who already came into the league with a ton of pressure due to his father's mouth.

It was so nice to go through more than 50 games without hearing from Lavar Ball. It seemed like the Lakers brass and LeBron finally got him to just be quiet. They just kind of pushed him off and we didn't have to hear from him. But now, since his kid was brought up in trade rumors, which will happen as long as he continues to disappoint and play with LeBron, he decided to open his mouth and say more dumb shit. I hope that LeBron and Magic and Rob Pelinka will be able to get him to shut up again because I cannot take another story about him talking. I know I am just adding to the problem by writing about it today, but it made me so angry that he said his kid was better than LeBron that I had to say something.

So if you could kindly screw off Lavar Ball, me, the Lakers players and fans and the rest of the NBA watching community would greatly appreciate it. We don't need to hear your lunatic ravings anymore. Please do us a favor and shut the hell up. Thanks

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Kawhi Leonard, the Lakers, and Another Damn Super Team

About a week back I wrote that I hoped Kawhi Leonard would stay a Spur. Well, that has all blown up in my face, and the Spurs face. It appears that he is going to be in a different uniform next season. There are new reports everyday, but don't get it twisted, he is going to end up a Laker, one way or another.

What a mess.

I read a report that he was going to meet with Greg Poppovich, they met, and the people who were present said it was a good meeting. It seemed that maybe they had squashed their beef. Then, the other day I read that Kawhi was saying he never wanted to step foot in the Spurs facility again, unless he was on a different team, and he was playing there. Then, after that report, I read that the Spurs were now willing to trade him to a team, but no one in the West. That one, if they were to trade him, made sense to me. Why would they want to trade him in the conference and have to face him multiple times a year. This made even more sense when I heard that the 76ers were trying to get RC Buford, the current Spurs GM, to be their new GM. It all started to come together. And, I thought, of any team he could go to, the 76ers made the most sense.

Today there are a ton of new reports that the Spurs and Lakers have "intensified" their trade talks, that the Spurs were now willing to trade him to a West team if the return was proper and that LeBron said, if the Lakers were to acquire him, he would be very willing to sign with the Lakers. Oh, and Paul George opted out of the final year of his contract in OKC, thus making these rumors seem even more real. After all the recent news, I have thrown my hands up, and given in to the fact that,  not only will the Lakers get Kawhi, but they will most likely sign LeBron and Paul George. Sure, they will have to trade some of their young talent, but who cares when you can get three perennial All Stars, one of which is the current best player in the world. I don't think that Rob Pelinka or Magic Johnson truly care if they have to add a Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle or Brandon Ingram in a deal. I don't think they care if they have to add all four to get these three guys, or even 2 of them.

I got a report on my phone from Bleacher Report today that said that the Lakers were willing to add Brandon Ingram in any trade talks in fact. I thought he was one of the untouchable guys too. He actually improved a ton in his second season. He seemed like the guy that the Lakers should keep, and add these stars around him. They should trade Ball, or Kuzma, or, especially Randle before dealing Ingram. Ingram is the real deal. I fully believe that he is going to have a long, and fruitful, NBA career. Lonzo Ball has potential, his vision is amazing, but he has a garbage shot, and you have to deal with his family, and, most importantly, his dad. You think Lavar Ball will really expect his son to play second fiddle to Kawhi or Paul George? Hell, he will shit talk LeBron the moment he signs with the Lakers. Kyle Kuzma has the makings of being a good to great scorer, but he plays no defense, and he is considered "old" in the modern NBA. The kid can shoot, but he is no Brandon Ingram. And Julius Randle has had one foot out the door for the past 2 seasons. He doesn't fit in in LA. He comes and goes as he pleases, and he doesn't seem like he will live up to the hype. He also broke his leg his rookie year, and he missed an entire season. He still has a done of room to grow.

But, the Lakers seem to be desperate, so they are now willing to trade their best young guy, to get only Kawhi. That seems crazy to me. And, if the Spurs are to trade Kawhi, they better damn well get Ingram, and some high, high picks in upcoming drafts. I feel like Ingram, in that Spurs system, would thrive. And if they have to give up Kawhi, so be it. He clearly wants out, and to get a super young, hyper athletic player, that is really starting to come into his own, they'd be crazy not to do it. I don't think losing Kawhi and adding Ingram would be a death blow to them either.

What all of this talk boils down to, at least for me, the Lakers are going to get Kawhi. Then, they will get LeBron. Then, Paul George will announce he is going to sign there. It is going to happen. There are far too many signs that they will get these guys. Magic wants them. Kawhi wants to go there. LeBron has said that he would love to play with Kawhi. And Paul George would make a fine third option on that team, I guess. As much as I don't want this to happen, I'm about 99 percent sure it will. I still think adding these three guys, along with whomever the Lakers can keep, this makes them no better than third in the West. The Warriors are still, far and away, the best team in the West, and all of basketball, and I still like the Rockets, as long as they keep Chris Paul, just a bit more. So, at least there is that.

Oh well, lets get this all over with so I can bitch more about "super teams" on this website.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Lavar Ball is Nonsense

shut up, shut up, shut up

I read recently, and I had successfully kept this idiot out of my brain until now, that Lavar Ball said that if the Lakers don’t sign his 2 other kids, Lonzo will not re sign with them.

This is insane!

Who in the hell does Lavar Ball think he is? Who is he to demand these outrageous things? Why does he think he can demand these outrageous things? Why haven’t the Lakers done more to quiet this buffoon? I feel like all of these are valid questions.

I won’t go into why Lavar Ball is terrible, I’ve already done that. Instead, I’m going to give the Lakers other options to deal with this nonsense. First off, both the other Ball children will, most likely, not be NBA players. The one that was just at UCLA was, by all accounts, not even a viable pro prospect. Apparently he was slow, didn’t play defense, was a shaky spot up shooter at best and just average. I don’t think he would’ve started if his last name wasn’t Ball. He also screwed himself when he shoplifted in China. He seemed doomed from the start. The youngest brother is 16. Sure, he loves basketball now, and I know he’s playing professionally overseas, but let’s see what happens in a year or 2. By all accounts, the league these 2 brothers are playing in isn’t even the best pro league in Lithuania. Sure, it’s professional, but very low level. Thankfully I don’t know how they’re doing because I decided to stop caring about this family when Lonzo Ball came out slow.

Back to the 16 year old. I think what Lavar did with this kid was horrendous. To “home school” him, to take him away from a good high school basketball program, to basically try and live through him, it left a very bad taste in my mouth. Also, he may never get any better than he is now because his dad always tells him how great he is. He doesn’t coach, he only pops off at the mouth. He’s a malcontent, and a disturbance. So while the youngest brother may be an okay player, I don’t know if he will be an NBA type player. He’s still much too young and way too small.

So, for Lavar to say what he said, just stop. Magic Johnson, Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka need to nip this in the bud. They’ve let Lavar get away with way too much, i.e., calling out Luke Walton, saying his son needs more time, calling out other Lakers and so on and so forth. This recent statement is too far. In fact, if I were the Lakers, with the way they d recently cleared a ton of cap space, I’d trade Lonzo if he is on board with what his dad said. Why would LeBron, Paul George or Kawhi Leonard want to go play for a team that allows a player’s dad to say whatever he wants whenever he wants? Those guys are superstars that have made it on their own. They didn’t need mommy or daddy to speak on their behalf. They don’t need the nonsense. Hell, if I were a mid level free agent, the Lakers with Lonzo would be very far down my list if desired teams. The Lakers should trade him now. Don’t let him finish out this rookie contract. They’ve shown recently that they can win without him. Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma are much better building blocks than Lonzo Ball. I also think free agents, big time ones, would agree with me.

This is what happens when you let an unstable person say whatever is in their feeble brain. I mean, look at the bull shit going on at the White House right now. Lavar Ball bit off more than he can chew with this recent comment. This will come back to haunt him and his family, especially when the 2 younger Ball’s don’t even get an invite or a tryout because they aren’t going to get drafted.

Lavar Ball is a nuisance that needs to be stopped. Please Lakers organization, stop this monster while you still can.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Don't Believe the Ball Hype. Simmons, Embiid, and the 76'ers are the Future of the NBA

Last night I stayed up to watch some basketball. The college season is in full swing, and so is the NBA. I watched the end of the Cavs-Hornets game on ESPN while also checking in on some Big Ten basketball and some other games I could find on cable.

The real reason I stayed up because I wanted to see the 76ers play. I haven't gotten to see Ben Simmons play yet, and I was curious. I have heard so many good things about him, but I wanted to see for myself. Unfortunately they were playing the Lakers, and all the talk on ESPN was about the "big" rookie matchup between Simmons and Lonzo Ball. ESPN seemed to solely focus on Ball, with a few mentions here and there of Simmons. The love for the Ball family has got to stop from ESPN. It is becoming disturbing how much they cover this kid, his father and brothers, I'm sick of it.

To make matters worse for the Ball family, and ESPN as well, Ball continued his awful play so far this year last night. Sure, he has had 2 good games, both against Phoenix, and we are only about 15 games in, but he has STRUGGLED mightily so far. When he gets pressured he gets rid of the ball in a flash. He cannot play defense, and his shooting has been atrocious. I'm sure he will get this all figured out, he is a good basketball player. But, when he isn't even the best rookie on his team, that goes to Kyle Kuzma, the hype needs to stop, at least for now.

The best rookie, and probably second best player on the floor last night, was Ben Simmons. He is as advertised. He is a 6'10 point guard, that sometimes plays power forward. He, like Ball, cannot shoot outside, and his free throw shooting is pretty bad too, but he controls the game in other ways. He can get to the basket with relative ease. I found it hilarious that the Lakers thought they could put Ball on him on defense to start the game. Every time down the floor, Simmons either backed him down and kicked it out to a wide open shooter, or he slashed to the basket for an easy dunk. It was obvious who was the better "first" year player from the opening tap. Besides getting to the hoop, Simmons just seemed to carry himself in a way that Ball hasn't, and may never, get to. Simmons was out there to win the game by any means necessary. He knows his role on the 76ers, and he is determined to show that he can ball out on any given night. Ball seemed a little lost, or maybe disinterested is the right word. Any time Simmons put pressure on him, he got rid of the ball immediately. Any time he had a look at a jumper he passed. He only took shots when he was wide open, and those clanked off the rim. Hell, even when Simmons switched to the 4, and TJ McConnell played the point, Ball couldn't handle him on either end of the floor. McConnell would drive by him for easy layups, and force Ball to either pass it too early, or turn it over. Simmons looked confident too. Like I said, he doesn't have a jumper, but that didn't stop him from attacking, or shooting a hook shot, which he is quite adept at already. He knows his limitations, and he knows what he does really well already. He had no problem setting up teammates, grabbing rebounds or playing defense. He is a Swiss Army knife player at only 20 years old.

Both of these guys paled in comparison to the night that Joel Embiid had. My god was he dominant. He ended the night with 46 points, 15 rebound and 7 blocks. That's some Hakeen Olajuwon type shit right there. I know it was only against the lowly and hapless Lakers, but damn, what a stat line. Embiid is so much fun to watch. I wanted to go to bed, but I just couldn't look away when he was on the floor. If he can stay healthy, which may be the biggest if in all of professional sports, this guy could very well be on his way to the Hall of Fame. He is so big, but graceful. He is dominant, but has a soft touch. He kills you in he post, but he can take you out to the three point line. I beg the NBA gods to not let this kid get hurt. He is the next big time star. He is who the league should look to make the new face of when LeBron James retires. He oozes star quality. And, he is on the same team with the heavy, heavy favorite for Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons.

I still think it will take at least another year before the 76ers are a playoff team, and these 2 have got to show me that they can play, at the very least, 60 games in the regular season. But damn, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid can play some great basketball. I have adopted the Timberwolves and Spurs as my 2 new favorite teams, but I very much enjoyed watching the 76ers play last night. I did not think I would be saying that for some time, due to the tanking, but it's true. Do yourselves a favor and watch this team, but more importantly, watch Embiid and Simmons. They could very well be the future of this league.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Being a Star of the NBA Summer League Does Not Make One a Real NBA Star

I have been watching a ton of the NBA summer league because, as I have stated many times, I'm a hoops junky. I love seeing all the rookies, the high picks, the mid to late first rounders, the second rounders, the undrafted guys and the foreign prospects. I love watching all the guys that are still hanging on to their NBA dreams, hoping for a contract or a chance in the D League. I love that the assistants coach. Remember last year, Becky Hammond won one of the Summer League titles as the Spurs coach. But what it all really boils down to, I'm obsessed with basketball, and any chance to watch it, I'll grab it like a loose ball.

All this being said, the basketball is not great. There are many hangers on that just shoot and shoot and shoot again. The defense is abysmal. The shooting is wildly inconsistent. Some, most of the guys there in fact, need to stop chasing the dream. Most of the rookies, I'm looking at you "one and done" guys, are still teenagers, and they're still growing. This makes them sloppy.

Summer League is a mess, but that doesn't stop the commentators at ESPN telling us how stellar all the youngsters are. Every time Phoenix is on, Josh Jackson is the second coming of KG. When the Celtics play, Jayson Tatum is the best Celtic since Paul Pierce. I was watching the Bucks the other day and they were saying that DJ Wilson can take some minutes from Giannis. Dennis Smith Jr is the greatest point guard the Mavericks have had since Steve Nash. DeAaron Fox is going to turn around the Kings. Lonzo Ball is the second coming of Magic. Hell, even before Fultz got hurt, he was the key to the 76ers run to the playoffs this season. All this stuff sounds great, and it's wonderful to look ahead, but these commentators need to pump the brakes. After all, it's Summer League.

At the top of this I laid out the types of players that fill up Summer League rosters. You didn't notice names like KD, Klay, Draymond, Steph, LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, Jimmy Butler, Karl Anthony Towns, Russ, Paul George, and so on and so forth. All the stars do not play in Summer League because they don't need to. So all the accolades being handed out, wait until these rookies have to face real NBA players. Wait to call Josh Jackson the next KG unless he explodes on a player like Klay or Kawhi. I like Jackson, but that's not happening for awhile. Before christening Tatum as the next Pierce, I want to see him hit clutch three after clutch three in a critical game against the Cavs and LeBron. Before claiming DJ Wilson will steal minutes from Giannis, remember that people are saying Giannis is a future MVP. Dennis Smith Jr could be great, but the Mavs are going to be mediocre next year, and he will have bumps along the way. He's also going to have a tough time in the West against the likes of Chris Paul and Russ. DeAaron Fox is lightening quick, but he needs to learn to shoot and the Kings stink. He will not, at least not right away, be the savior for that franchise. Lonzo Ball has great court vision, but his jumper is disgusting, he looks disinterested at times, especially on defense, and wait to give him top line status until he faces the same guys Dennis Smith Jr has to face. His dad is also an arrogant asshole. And Fultz, who knows. He has a sprained ankle, and while that's a 2 to 3 week healing process, the 76ers might make him sit all year. He may not be the greatest point guard to put on a Philly uniform since Allen Iverson. The commentators need to tamp it all way, way down.

I remember last year that D'Angelo Russell and Larry Nance were Summer League stars. How'd that work out for them? Ben Simmons didn't play in Summer League. Jaylen Brown was a non factor but dominated Summer League. People need to realize the level of basketball they are watching and wait to assess these guys until they play real meaningful NBA minutes and games. This is the Summer League, not real, important NBA games. Take the expectations WAY down.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Like the Lakers, I am not Very High on Lonzo Ball

I've got a bunch of basketball stuff lined up for this week, and today, I'm going to start off with my take on the whole Lonzo Ball work out for the Lakers, and what has come out since then. Side note, I'll do a mock draft like I did for the NFL as we get closer to the NBA draft. First let's talk about Lonzo.  

About a week or so ago, Lonzo Ball had his solo workout for the Lakers. This has been very much talked about leading up to the draft in a few weeks. Apparently, the Lakers are the only team the Ball family said he would work out for. In fact, the ever annoying Lavar Ball has come out recently and said he wants all of his sons to go to UCLA for one year, leave and get drafted by the Lakers. This dude is out of his god damn mind. All three kids will not be that good. It's the law of averages. Anyway, there was some talk that Ball may work out for the 76ers, but that died pretty quickly the closer we got to the Lakers workout.

Lonzo had his workout, and at first, all seemed well. He went by himself, no Lavar around, to his workout, dinner and interview. I don't remember who exactly it was, either Uproxx Sports or the AV Club, possibly maybe even Deadspin, but they headlined this news by comparing Lonzo Ball to a sixth grader who says stuff like, "I did this all by myself". I found that very funny. But, as I dug a little deeper on these stories, I found out some interesting news.

First off, the Lakers and Luke Walton said that they did not want Lavar Ball anywhere near his workout and the Lakers facility. This was the exact right decision the powers that be made. Lavar Ball is a cancer, and his son is going into the adult world of professional basketball, and he should not be allowed anywhere near his possible future employer. My father never came by the lab I worked in and talked about my greatness as a dental lab technician. This I am very grateful for.

By all accounts the dinner went well. How could it not? This is a dinner where the prospective prospect talks about how great they are and tells the franchise that is taking him out how much he wants to play for that team. These dinners and interviews are designed to be easy and fun for all parties involved. It helps the franchise get to know the prospect, and the prospect gets to know the franchise. It is all good. But, it had to be stated again by everyone involved that Lavar Ball was not allowed to be a part of this.

The fact that everyone has to keep saying that Lavar is not welcome is a big red flag for me. It's like when someone keeps saying that everything is great, but nothing is really great. These people have to keep saying Lavar is not around, but maybe he is there some way, some how. Maybe he is texting his son constantly throughout the whole meal and interview, telling him what to demand and what to say. Lavar Ball is trying every possible way to stay involved because he does not look at his son as his child, but as a money maker. That is pretty awful.

Then, this weekend and today, news came out that the Lakers were "not blown away" by Ball's workout. First off, this is nonsense. The Lakers are going to draft Ball, unless the Celtics, or whoever gets the first pick, passes on Markelle Fultz, then the Lakers will take him. That won't happen, and I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that Ball is going second to the Lakers unless something really crazy happens prior to, or on draft night. Whenever a team talks about a prospect while they are still in college, and it is made known that they want to draft that position, they will take that kid, unless they get hurt. It happens 99.9 percent of the time.

So no, I do not buy the talk coming from everyone in Laker land saying that they weren't blown away. It is all a smoke screen to see if someone gives them a crazy offer for the second pick that immediately makes the Lakers relevant again. I do not see that happening. I don't think any of the teams in the lottery will do that. I think Ball would be a great fit in Phoenix, but they do not have anyone that will immediately turn the Lakers into a playoff team. The 76ers already have a point guard. The Kings want DeAaron Fox, who completely outplayed Ball in the tournament. The Celtics are either taking Fultz or trading the pick for an established star. Everyone else in the lottery seems set with where they are. so no, I do not see the Lakers pulling off some big time deal, and passing up on Ball.

Then today, or maybe yesterday, dumbass Lavar Ball had to open his mouth again and say that "the Lakers are starving for a leader". I do not think Lonzo Ball is any type of leader. He is still a teenager for one. Second, I already mentioned him getting outplayed by Fox in a big time game. Ball quit halfway through the second half of that game. That is not a leader. Third, his shot is trash. There is no way he can take over a game if he has to be the primary scorer. Fourth, the Lakers have players like D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson that have been there for at least 2 years, so they know the system and they know the players on the team. Fifth, no rookie since LeBron has come in and been the leader immediately. Lonzo Ball is no LeBron. Not in a million years.

I think Ball is going to be a bust. I think his ceiling is being the 7th or 8th guy off the bench for a fringe playoff team. All this talk recently, the way he finished his college season and his "poor" workout have me very skeptical of him being a good professional basketball player. He does have good court vision, and he is a tall point guard, but when he has to go against the Russell Westbrook's, Kawhi Leonard's, Kyrie Irving's, Steph Curry's and Chris Paul's of the world, he is going to get torched. Lonzo Ball is going to be a Ryan Leaf level bust in the pros, and it will make me so happy to see Lavar Ball fade into his much needed obscurity after that happens. That is my prediction on Lonzo Ball's NBA career.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Even a Fixed NBA Lottery Cannot Save the Lakers from Themselves

Amidst the Warriors blowing out the Kawhi less Spurs last night, we also had the NBA Draft Lottery Show. Now, just to put it out there, I did not watch the show. I was playing basketball. I think the lottery show is pointless, and I can see where every team picks on the internet later in the night.

With that being said, I do think that this lottery was fixed, much like the 2003 and the 1985 lottery shows. I was only 3 in 1985, but I know my NBA history. This was the year that Patrick Ewing was becoming a pro, and I have heard, and agree with, all the theories that the envelope was frozen, or at least cold, and it was fixed so the Knicks could take him. I fully believe this to be the truth. I also like the fact that Ewing was a Knick. It made all the sense in the world, and I rooted for the Ewing led Knicks team when I was a kid. The Sonics were my team, but I also enjoyed the Knicks back then.

The other fixed lottery, the 2003 one, was so blatant, people just bypass even talking about it. This was the LeBron year, and of course the hometown Cavs got the number one pick. Why would the NBA want it any other way? Of course this was great for the league, for LeBron, for David Stern, for the Eastern Conference, it was all just a little to perfect. Again, I had no real problem with this either. It's always nice when a hometown kid can stay home and turn the team around. LeBron was going to thrive anywhere, but it was nice that he was able to start his professional career in Cleveland.

Well, last night's lottery now has me convinced they fixed it for, at least, the third time in my life. And no, I'm not talking about the Celtics getting the first overall pick. They earned that right when they fleeced the Nets a few years ago. That is what happens when you give up asset after asset to try and chase a title with an aging Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. The Celtics did the exact right thing, and they reaped the benefits last year, getting the third pick, and even more so last night, getting the first pick. I'm also not talking about the 76ers getting the third pick. This has been their "process" for the past 5 years, and they keep getting top 3 picks every year. I'm also not talking about the Kings getting 2 top ten picks. They, much like the Celtics, earned that right when they traded Boogie to the Pelicans, and asked for an unprotected top 10 pick. All of that stuff, and all the other teams, like the T'Wolves, Knicks, Suns, they all "earned" their right to draft in the top 10. That's is what teams get for tanking nowadays. As much as I dislike the whole tanking thing, it works for these teams.

The reason I think this particular lottery was fixed was the fact that the Lakers got the second overall pick. Yes, they were bad. Yes, they "earned" the right to pick top 5. Yes, they can get a possible transformative player in this upcoming draft, which is loaded. But, they could have lost a whole lot if they didn't get a top 3 pick. The NBA did not want their beloved Lakers to have to go through a full on rebuild, even though that is currently what they are doing, and they made sure they did not lose this pick. Had they been given the fourth pick, they would have had to give it up, and they would have lost their first round picks for the next 2 years. That would have been a brutal blow to this blue blood franchise. Can you imagine how angry Magic Johnson, Adam Silver and Jeanie Buss would have been had they not gotten their top 3 pick? It would have been an absolute nightmare. So yes, I do think the people involved with the NBA and the lottery made sure that the Lakers got one of the top 3 picks.

The NBA is still trying to deal with the Knicks being horrendous, the Bulls constantly being in flux, the 76ers being one of the worst franchises in all of sports. They could not have the Lakers going through a massive rebuild as well. Never mind the fact that the NBA is as popular as ever, the powers that be want the Lakers to, at least, be relevant. Teams like the Warriors, Cavs, Spurs, Celtics, they are all great, but the NBA does not want the almighty Lakers to continue to be a 20 win team.

I do not care about them fixing the lottery, and I think it is fine. I also think it will be hilarious when they draft Lonzo Ball second overall. This is going to cause almost as much drama as if they lost a top 3 pick. There are much better players that fit what the Lakers want to do, but they will be told to take Ball. The NBA, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV will want to have the Ball family in LA. They will make it so.

To make things even more interesting, the Lakers already have a point guard. Sure, D'Angelo Russell is inconsistent, but he is only 21, he has only been in the league for 2 years and he showed flashes of being a decent point guard last year. Players need time to grow, especially guys that are only 21.

The Celtics will either trade the first pick for a superstar, or take Markelle Fultz. So, when the Lakers pick, Fultz will most likely be gone. That opens up a lot of options for the Lakers. Ball will be there, but so will guys like Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Johnathan Issac, Lauri Markenien, De'Aron Fox and Malik Monk. A lot of these guys would be a much better fit on the Lakers than Ball, and from what we know, they don't bring the baggage of Lavar Ball.

I think a guy like Josh Jackson would be a perfect fit in LA. He is long, can guard, will learn to shoot and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. I also love pairing Brandon Ingram with Johnathan Issac. Issac is another long guy that can defend, he's a better shooter and, again, brings no known baggage. Hell, I'd even look at Jayson Tatum before Ball. Tatum didn't really show out, but he looks like he could be a poor mans Carmelo Anthony in the NBA. He can get his own shot and usually knocks it down. If I were the Lakers and Luke Walton, I'd look at someone in the front court as opposed to a back court guy in this draft.

Now that I gave LA some sound advice, I would bet a whole lot of money that the Lakers will take Ball, trade Russell and that will put them back even further. No one will want to sign there because no bona fide star will want to deal with the circus that is the Ball family. Luke Walton, who looks like he will be a good coach, will get very irritated and aggravated at having to deal with Lavar Ball. And, this means they will have to break up their young core of Russell, Julius Randall, Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson to make room for Ball. The Ball family will not settle for his son sitting and learning, he will demand playing time right away. This will be the main problem with this pick. Lonzo Ball will set the Lakers back.

Congratulations Lakers. You guys got your top 3 pick, but I'm pretty sure you will blow it by drafting Lonzo Ball. The NBA did what they could to keep you relevant, but your front office will most likely screw it up. I guess that is what happens when you fix a lottery.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Terrible Lavar Ball is Causing Me to Root Against His Kids

Artist diepiction of Ty when he hears Lavar Ball talk about anything

Try as I might, I just cannot escape the madness that is Lavar Ball. I've written before about how he is the worst type of sports parent. But, after writing that, I was kind of able to avoid him. I'd see something that would have his name in the story, and I'd just click right by it. No fuss, no muss.

Then, a story about Lonzo Ball came out that he was going to skip the NBA combine. Now, I am not a fan of combine results and how it inflates a major prospect, but, it is a given that the big time prospects always attend. It happens in football, if baseball has one, I'm sure the top prospects show up to it, and you always have, unless they are injured, the main guys at the NBA combine. I'm pretty sure guys like Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, Johnathan Issac, basically any top prospect, is attending. But, for some illogical reason, Lonzo Ball doesn't think that he needs to go. He is just assuming that he will be a top pick, which I'm sure he still will be.

Aside from the skipping the combine, he has done some other stuff that I feel like his father is making him do. Immediately, and I mean immediately after UCLA got beat in the tournament, Ball's first comment was that he was going pro. He didn't seem to care at all that is team just got beat and that he was wildly outplayed by DeArron Fox. Then, he was showing up on crappy midday ESPN shows with his father to "expand his brand". Then, he declared that he only wanted to play for the Lakers. No other team that takes him would make him happy. He basically declared that he would only play for the Lakers. Like I said, all this seems like it was orchestrated by his father. So, while I was easily bypassing stories directly about Lavar Ball, I could not escape his son, and his son's comment.

Then, the thing that has really riled me up as of late, was Lavar Ball's recent comments that his son, Lonzo's, first signature shoe will be 200 dollars a pair. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT NONSENSE! No one's shoes cost 200 dollars a pair. The new LeBron's seem to average around 125-180 dollars a pair. KD's shoes are never more than 150 dollars. Kyrie Irving's shoes are usually 125 dollars. Even Air Jordan's, unless they are classic throwback shoes in mint condition, average around 160-175 dollars. These are all extremely established NBA super stars, with Jordan being the GOAT, and none of them charge 200 dollars per pair of shoes. That is asinine that Lavar Ball thinks anyone would ever pay 200 dollars for one pair of shoes. Also, who does he think is going to produce and market these shoes? He was laughed out of the Nike offices, with one of their major guys saying that he "the worst person I have ever had to deal with". Both Under Armor and Adidas have also said that they want nothing to do with the Ball family, specifically Lavar Ball. So, I ask again, who is going to sell, market, produce, create and get these 200 dollar shoes out to the public? Does he honestly think that his Big Baller Brand is going to become a thing that people will want to be a part of?

If I was a business owner of any kind I would stay away from him and his family with a 1,000 foot pole. I would want absolutely nothing to do with the Ball family, and it is all because of the father. He is a blowhard and I think he is insane. The words that come out of his mouth are just utterly ridiculous and pointless and flat out stupid. I usually like to give a player a chance. I want to watch them as pros, but I am now in the very large group of people that are actively rooting against anyone from the Ball family. I want Lonzo Ball to be a bust, and it has nothing to do with him, it is because of his father. I hope his 2 other sons never materialize to anything more than rotational college players. Lonzo Ball will be a high draft pick, he is a good player, but no one knows about his other 2 kids. I mean one of them is a sophomore, so who knows what will happen to him in 2 years. He may end up hating basketball.

I try not to actively root against kids, I'm a 34 year old with 2 kids of my own, but Lavar Ball has made the worst come out in me. He has made me an avid member of the anti Ball fan club. I want these kids to flame out as college players, and in Lonzo's case, as a pro. Lavar Ball is out of his god damn mind, and those 2 to 3 weeks where I did not even think about him were glorious. But, I just could not get the bad taste out of my mouth of this most recent outrageous declaration. No one, and I mean absolutely no one in their right minds will pay 200 dollars for shoes. That's just absurd.  Please stop talking Lavar Ball. Every time you open your mouth, you say something more ridiculous, and it makes you sound and look that much more stupid. Just please, for the love of whatever, stop.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. His five year old son is pretty good at basketball right now. Any company interested in producing his $500 shoes?  

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Lavar Ball, Terrible Sports Father, Needs to Shut the Hell Up

Please Lavar Bell, stop talking

I'm a basketball fan. You all know this by now. I'm also a coach/instructor as well. You all already know this too. So, what really gets me angry is a mom or dad who thinks that their child is so superior to someone else's child, and they are very vocal about it.

Look, I'm a dad and I want what is best for my kids and I think my kids are very athletic, but I'm not loud and brash about it. The same cannot be said for Lavar Ball though. Now, I'm not blaming the kids at all in my piece today. The three kids involved cannot be blamed for their father's words and actions. In fact, I think Lonzo Ball has proven that he is a fantastic basketball player. He has exploded for UCLA this year and has made them relevant again. He has awesome court vision, is a great set up shooter and loves the game. Lonzo Ball is awesome. But, for his father to come out and say that he is better, and will be better than Steph Curry, is ludicrous.

Steph Curry was great in college and is one of the three best players in the NBA. He is unequivocally the best shooter I have ever seen in my lifetime. He is a multiple MVP winner. He has an NBA title. I mean, Steph Curry is a once in a generation player. Now, that is not to say that Lonzo Ball cannot get to that level, I personally think he will be a very good pro, but I do not think he will even scratch the surface to being half as great as Steph Curry is. Curry is a Hall of Famer. I'll put that in writing right now. We do not yet know with Lonzo Ball.

Ball is a great college basketball player, but so was Adam Morrison, and that is who I think of when I watch Lonzo Ball now. Morrison was incredible in college. He was such a phenomenal scorer and producer for Gonzaga while he was there. He was the "guy". He was who the team looked to when they needed a big play. Then, after three flops in the tournament, Morrison was a top 3 pick. From there on out, he was a terrible pro. I mean, he was very, very bad. He never got up to speed in the NBA. He was always a step too slow. He lost his shot. Sure, he has a couple of titles, but it is because he was fortunate enough to be on the Lakers bench, as the 11th or 12th man, when they had Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and an engaged Andrew Bynum. I hope for Lonzo Ball's case he doesn't have the same fate. I hope he is a great pro and has a long and illustrious career. I genuinely enjoy watching him play basketball. I also really liked watching Adam Morrison when he was in college.

For Lavar Ball to say that his son is better than Steph puts so much undue pressure on his son, and it is incredibly unfair to him. I get that he is his kid and he pumps his child up, but in this day and age you have to watch what you say. This is just ridiculous. Like I said, I do not blame Lonzo Ball at all for this, this is all on his father for being a loud mouth, brash, arrogant and selfish stage dad. I thought he would have backed off after saying this nonsense, but he has only gotten worse from there.

Recently one of his sons, who is a sophomore, scored 90 plus points in a game. That's wonderful, but when they showed the highlights, the kid played no defense and just kept letting it fly. I have coached kids like this, that just want to shoot the ball and do nothing else, and for the most part, it is due to a parent yelling from the sidelines for their kid to do nothing but shoot. Basketball is more than just offense. Yes, you need to put the ball in the basket, but you also have to give effort on the other end. That is how guys like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Scottie Pippen, Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard have become great pros. They all worked extra hard on both ends. Putting up 30, 40, 50 and even 60 points sometimes doesn't matter if they gave minimal effort on defense, and their team loses. But, Lavar Ball made sure to let the world know that his 16 year old son scored 90 plus points in a game, and that he was the next big thing.

I have read and heard too many stories about kids that are going to be the next big thing that never pan out. I read the Lamelo Ball story, and I immediately thought of guys like Freddy Adu, Felipe Lopez and Darius Miles. They were going to be the next great stars. They were going to strike it rich and have long and fruitful careers. Well, Adu is playing soccer somewhere over seas I think, Felipe Lopez flamed out in college, and the last thing I heard about Darius Miles, he was detained at Lambert Airport in Saint Louis for possession of an illegal firearm. These stories are way more common than say a LeBron James or Bryce Harper story.

To make matters even worse, Lavar Ball recently said that he wants a one billion dollar shoe deal for all three of his sons. First off, he said billion, not million. Who does he think he is? This is asinine. No one has a one billion dollar shoe deal, except LeBron James, and that is a lifetime deal. Lavar Ball has one son that is a surefire NBA player, Lonzo, but what if Lamelo and LiAngelo don't make it? What if they can't cut it in college? Or, if they make it to the pros, what if they turn out to be like Austin Rivers, Jimmer Fredette or, the previously mentioned Adam Morrison. At least Rivers is still in the NBA, but no shoe company is clamoring for his endorsement. This is just flat out nuts to demand this type of money. I wouldn't go near this family with a ten foot pole if I were Nike, Under Armor, Adidas, Reebok or any other big time shoe company. These kids have no guarantee that they will be super stars. They are not LeBron or MJ or Barkley or anyone else that has/had a major shoe deal.

I must say this again, I wish nothing but the best for the kids. But, their father is out of line. What makes Lavar Ball the worst though was his most recent statement. He recently said that he would have "cooked" Michael Jordan in a game of one on one back in his day. This is the same Lavar Ball that played one year of division one basketball at Washington State and averaged 2 points a game. During that very same season, Jordan was averaging 30 plus points a game in the NBA for the Bulls. Ball said he would've "backed him down, called every foul and make Jordan shoot jumpers", and he would have beaten him. This is just flat out stupid. This would be like me saying that I could beat Lavar Ball in one on one in my heyday. I'm a pretty good rec league and pick up basketball player, but I did not play in college, barely played in high school and I am way out of shape. Lavar Ball would crush me in one on one. He was good enough to play college basketball. I was barely good enough to play high school basketball. So, for him to think he could, not just make it a game, but beat Michael Jordan one on one is just ridiculous. Not only would Jordan beat him, he would shut him out and clown him anyway that he pleased. He could toy with him, shoot jumpers if he wanted, then take him to the basket with ease. Jordan is so competitive too, that he wouldn't even make it fun for Lavar Ball. He would want to kill him, not just in the game, but emotionally as well. I love that Charles Barkley came out recently and challenged Lavar Ball to a game of one on one. This is the most egregious comment, of many, that Lavar Ball has made.

I'll say it one more time. I do not blame the kids for their father's words. He is a blowhard and a loud mouth. It would be best for him and his family to just be happy that his kids colleges are basically paid for, and that he may have one or more kids good enough to be in the NBA. But, I'm sure he will say something else very dumb during the tournament. He cannot seem to help himself.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He thinks parents that yell at their children during sports events must be the best parents ever. Why else would they make themselves the center of attention at a child's event? Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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