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Will Lonzo Ball’s father ever sit back and just let his son play?

By Trent Richardet

Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Lavar Ball embraces his son UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) after the game against the Washington State Cougars at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Lavar Ball embraces his son UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) after the game against the Washington State Cougars at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lonzo Ball is a potential top-3 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and his father Lavar isn’t afraid to tell you how good he is.

A product of Chino Hills High School, Lonzo Ball has wasted no time showing off his NBA potential while running the show at UCLA. He makes up for his unorthodox shooting form with his outstanding play-making ability and efficiency from the field. The upside he shows has teams with potential lottery picks drooling all over themselves.

Lonzo’s skill on the basketball court could easily be attributed to his bloodline. His father LaVar played college ball at Washington State as well as Cal State-LA. Oh, and let’s not forget about his mother, Tina, who also played college basketball at Cal State-LA. LaVar and Tina have passed on their basketball genes to not only Lonzo, but also his two younger brothers LiAngelo (high school senior) and LaMelo (high school sophomore).  Both have been standout players at Chino Hills just as big brother Lonzo was. LaMelo has done his best to get out from his shadow, and dropping 92 points in a single game earlier this season isn’t a bad start at all. Both LiAngelo and LaMelo are verbally committed to UCLA when their time terrorizing high school opponents comes to an end.

As a parent, how could you not be proud of your child’s success? With what his son has been able to accomplish, you could cut LaVar some slack if he comes off as a little arrogant at times. But it’s not just a little arrogant, and it’s not just at times. He’s made constant headlines since his son has stepped into the spotlight of the basketball world. His claims have ranged far and wide — one stating that his son will be the first player selected in the NBA Draft, another guaranteeing a UCLA national championship victory. One of his more controversial statements was that his son would be as good as two-time defending MVP Steph Curry. However, LaVar did retract those lofty comments, only to tell the Pac-12 Network that Lonzo was already better than the Golden State Warriors superstar.

Most kids are used to their parents going overboard every once and awhile, and Lonzo is no different. When asked about his fathers comments, he said this to the Los Angeles Times: “I’ve been living with him since I was born. He’s always been like that. He talks what’s on his mind and all I’ve got to do is go out and play my game … I let him do all the talking and I just try to play.”

I commend him for being able to just roll with his father’s outlandish comments without wanting to ring his neck, but at some point it’s got to get under his skin.

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So far, Lonzo has lived up to all of the hype put on him by his father and the media. The only concern that I have is that if he does ever slip up — which is bound to happen at some point — how will he handle the added on pressure put on him by his dad? It’s hard enough for college athletes to go out there and perform for their schools without all of the additional distractions. One thing is for sure, this kid oozes talent. After watching Ball play this season, I wouldn’t bet against him at the next level.