LaVar Ball, President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers is calling out Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets for abandoning his son in China. In a recent tweet from LaVar, he says “you left my boy in China…no big deal.”
LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo Ball, called out Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets for leaving his son in the G League.
Ball, LaVar stepped out of his hole, spotted his shadow, and had to say something awful about one of his basketball-playing kids before the NBA made it beyond Thanksgiving. Ball — father of Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, Charlotte Hornets’ reigning NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, and NBA G League wing LiAngelo Ball — couldn’t help himself on Nov. 26 when he took a dig at Michael Jordan’s Hornets for LiAngelo’s treatment.
LiAngelo Ball, 23, is the middle of the three Ball siblings. Lonzo is 24 years old and playing in his sixth NBA season. LaMelo, 20, has made some significant strides in his second year in Charlotte. However, LiAngelo has yet to get his first NBA shot. The good news is that, for the first time in a long time, he’s being paid to play again. However, he has yet to join his siblings in the NBA.
LiAngelo Ball is a member of the Greensboro Swarm of the G League.
LiAngelo Ball has the most difficult journey to professional basketball of the three Ball siblings. Ball enrolled to UCLA after his high school career at Chino Hills. Ball and two teammates were charged with stealing on a season-opening trip to China before he could play in an official game for the Bruins, according to Sports Illustrated. The athletes were banned indefinitely by UCLA, and Ball dropped out less than a month later.
LaVar Ball sent his two youngest boys to Lithuania as a package deal when LaMelo departed Chino Hills before his junior year in 2017. LiAngelo averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game in 14 games with Prienal Vytautas in the Lithuanian LKL domestic league. In the summer of 2018, he was a member of the Los Angeles Ballers of the Junior Basketball Association.
The league was formed by LaVar Ball as a non-college basketball option. LiAngelo Ball joined with the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League after undergoing ankle surgery in 2019. Before COVID-19 shut down the league in March 2020, he didn’t make an appearance.
LiAngelo had a training-camp contract with the Detroit Pistons last season, but he was dismissed after making just one preseason appearance. In July 2021, he participated in the Las Vegas Summer League for the Hornets. Ball was signed by Charlotte and released the following day; he was then taken in the first round of the G League draft by Greensboro.
It’s at this point that the Hornets’ management and Big Daddy Baller’s perspectives divide.
The Hornets are squandering a’superstar,’ according to LaVar Ball.
During the G League Showcase Cup, LiAngelo Ball appeared in four games for the Swarm. Greensboro lost 4–0, but Ball made his G League debut against the Birmingham Squadron, scoring 22 points in 24 minutes.
However, during the following three games, Ball scored 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting in 31 minutes. In a setback against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Nov. 13, he went scoreless in four minutes of action.
LiAngelo Ball averages 9.3 points per game in 13.8 minutes per game, shooting 57.7% overall and 7-of-14 from three-point range. But, according to LaVar Ball, the Hornets are squandering a superstar’s prime years on the bench in Greensboro:
“They have no idea what they have. They must allow my son to play freely. I sent them a G League superstar, and they have no idea what to do with him.”
LaVar Ball
Charlotte should welcome LiAngelo to the NBA roster to play with LaMelo, according to the older Ball. Then LaVar said that he has another squad in mind.
“I already suggested the Lakers,” LaVar added, “but then they got rid of ‘Zo.” “Then I remarked to Charlotte, ‘You got him right in your back door,’ and she laughed. Now I’m on my way to a new location. “Here we go, LA Clippers.”
The Clippers have complete control over LiAngelo’s contract. However, they’d have to sign him to a normal deal since 10-day contracts aren’t available until January 5.
By talking so much, LaVar Ball isn’t helping LiAngelo Ball.
LiAngelo Ball made his NBA G League debut with a 22-point performance, but his father, LaVar Ball, isn’t assisting his kid with outlandish assertions of superstardom. | Getty Images/Ethan Miller
LaVar Ball, on the one hand, is quite relatable. Many parents of athletes assume their child is the next great thing, whether or not this notion is warranted. Some of those parents make it a point to promote their children to as many coaches, team officials, school administrators, and other people as they can.
LaVar, on the other hand, isn’t cooperating. He’s specifically not assisting LiAngelo Ball in any way. Lonzo and LaMelo were the NBA’s No. 2 overall draft choices. Regardless of what LaVar Ball said or did, they would have opportunity to make their imprint in the NBA.
LiAngelo, though, is not one of them. His game is unique; he isn’t a traditional point guard. He’s a shooting guard/combo wing instead. At 6-foot-5, he’s on the small side for that position. He’ll have to fight for every opportunity he gets in professional basketball.
When developing around great prospects like Lonzo and LaMelo, a team will see LaVar as a vital accessory. However, for a guy like LiAngelo, a three-star recruit coming out of high school who does not have a draft selection linked to him to give him value to a team, LaVar’s mouth is unnecessary baggage that a team does not want or need.
If LiAngelo Ball is to find a place in the NBA — and he has potential — he will be a part of the deep rotation. For him, that’s a reasonable limit. He isn’t a household name. Neither is Lonzo, for that matter, while LaMelo’s fate is still up in the air.
If LaVar Ball really wants to assist LiAngelo reach his goal of making the NBA roster, he should stop talking and allow his son’s performance decide his fate.
Basketball Reference and RealGM provided the statistics.
RELATED: Michael Jordan smiles as LaMelo Ball rejects any Kobe Bryant-like move for the Hornets
Watch This Video-
LaVar Ball, father of LiAngelo Ball, has called out the Charlotte Hornets for leaving his son in the G League. LaVar believes that he should have been given a chance to play with the team. Reference: gelo ball nba.
Related Tags
- liangelo ball signs with hornets
- lavar ball net worth
- liangelo ball number
- liangelo ball height
- gelo ball tattoos
