LiAngelo Ball didn’t hear his name called at the 2018 NBA Draft, even after one season of confusing and uneven performances for Lithuanian non-powerhouse Vytautas Prienu. And while none of the NBA’s 30 teams wanted him, that apparently goes double for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lakers tell LiAngelo Ball he won’t be part of their Summer League team
It’s not technically about LaVar (but it’s totally about LaVar).
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Lakers management, who already have one full year of dealing with LaVar Ball’s nonsense under their belts, told the former UCLA enrollee he wouldn’t be a part of their Summer League team in the moments following last night’s event.
It’s not an especially surprising move. Los Angeles has already had its share of Ball family drama in the 12 months since drafting Lonzo Ball No. 2 overall in 2017. The Ball patriarch made headlines throughout the season for his criticism of head coach Luke Walton, leading the club to enforce a new access-limiting policy for media known around the Staples Center as the “LaVar Ball rule.” Ball even went as far as to threaten Lonzo’s departure from the Lakers if the franchise failed to sign his two younger brothers:
I want all my three boys to play for the Lakers. But if that does not happen, I’m telling you the story what’s gonna happen first. If they don’t take Gelo this year, I bring back Gelo here (Prienai in Lithuania) to play with Melo for two years. Lonzo will be on his third year and I want to let every NBA team know, that Lonzo is not going to re-sign with the Lakers but will go to any team that will take all of my three boys. That’s my plan.
Fortunately for LiAngelo, there is one league for young hopefuls that could still take a chance on him.
Even though he won’t be a Los Angeles Laker, he can still be a Los Angeles Baller. Or a Houston Baller. Or a Seattle Baller. Or a Dallas Baller.
Los Angeles has taken a hard pass on LiAngelo, but LaVar won’t be able to follow through on his diabolical plan until 2021 should the Lakers exercise the team options on Lonzo’s rookie contract. Until then, the eldest Ball son will have to bide his time, feuding with Nas and roasting his own teammates until free agency comes calling.
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