LiAngelo Ball, the middle Ball son, really thought that he would be drafted by the Lakers. His off-the-court issues should have told him otherwise.
So, LiAngelo Ball really did believe in his heart that he was going to be drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, as a recent episode of Ball in the Family revealed. He really thought he was going to follow in his older brother’s footsteps and into Lakers glory.
We only have one question: Why?
There were no doubt people putting thoughts in his head that he would be taken in the second round; however, he should have known otherwise. Why would the Lakers — or any NBA team for that matter — take a chance on a player who was suspended all of last season from UCLA because he was shoplifting in China?
Before we are accused of “hating,” we’re not hating on the kid. Before he and his two former college teammates nearly caused an international incident over a Louis Vuitton bag, he did have the talent to make it in the NBA.
But the shoplifting drama basically derailed his chances of making it to the league, and his father’s decision to pull him out of UCLA all but shut the door on his dreams of being a Lakers star.
That wasn’t the only thing that made the Lakers hesitant about LiAngeleo, though.
His older brother, Lonzo Ball, didn’t quite live up to the high expectations bestowed upon him in his rookie season. So there could have been a lot of doubt in the Lakers front office about taking a look at LiAngelo.
Listen, we know it must suck to go to the NBA Draft and walk away not drafted, but, come on, LiAngelo. Being a Ball should not grant him NBA access. You have to earn that right, and as it stands now, he certainly hasn’t earned it.