LaVar Ball facts for kids

Quick facts for kids LaVar Ball
Ball in 2018
Born	LaVar Christopher Ball (1967-10-23) October 23, 1967 (age 57) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	West Los Angeles College Washington State University California State University, Los Angeles
Occupation	Co-founder and CEO of Big Baller Brand
Children	3 (Lonzo, LiAngelo, LaMelo)
Football career
No. 99
Position:	Tight end
Personal information
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school:	Canoga Park (CA)
College:	Cal State-Los Angeles
Undrafted:	1994
Career history
New York Jets (1994–1995)* London Monarchs (WLAF) (1995) Carolina Panthers (1995)*

LaVar Christopher Ball (born October 23, 1967) is an American businessman. He is known as the co-founder and CEO of the sports clothing company Big Baller Brand. He also started the Junior Basketball Association (JBA), a basketball league that is no longer active.

LaVar Ball is the father of three sons who are well-known. Two of them are professional basketball players: Lonzo Ball plays for the Chicago Bulls, and LaMelo Ball plays for the Charlotte Hornets. His second son, LiAngelo Ball, has signed with a music company as a hip hop artist.

Ball played both basketball and football when he was in high school. He continued to play college basketball at different schools, including West Los Angeles College, Washington State, and Cal State Los Angeles. He also played football for one season at Long Beach City College. He had a short professional football career as a tight end for the London Monarchs in Europe. He also trained with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers in 1995, but he never played in an official National Football League (NFL) game.

LaVar Ball became very famous in 2017 because of his bold statements. He often made headlines in sports news. For example, he said his son Lonzo was better than NBA star Stephen Curry. He also claimed he could beat Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball game. People had strong reactions to his comments, with some praising him and others criticizing him. He often talked about his company, Big Baller Brand, during interviews. Ball has appeared on many national TV shows and gets a lot of attention from major sports media. He has also spoken out about how his sons' teams treated them, especially the Lakers with Lonzo.

Early Life and College Sports

LaVar Ball was born on October 23, 1967, in South Los Angeles, California. He grew up with four brothers and two sisters. Ball went to Canoga Park High School, where he was a talented quarterback in football. He also played basketball as a forward. In one basketball season, he set a school record by getting 316 rebounds. By the time he went to college, he was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 250 pounds. Besides sports, Ball studied criminal justice in college. He once hoped to become a U.S. Marshal. His favorite basketball player when he was young was Charles Barkley.

Ball started playing college basketball at West Los Angeles College. Even though he didn't have much experience in high school, he did very well. In his first game in 1986, he scored 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. He then moved to NCAA Division I Washington State and became a starting forward. After one season, he transferred again to Cal State Los Angeles, which was an NCAA Division II school. There, he played alongside three of his brothers.

College Basketball Stats

Professional Football Career

After college, LaVar Ball decided to try football again. He played one year of college football as a tight end at Long Beach City College. On May 1, 1994, he signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) as a defensive end.

Ball returned to the Jets in March 1995 as a tight end. He was then sent to the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football (WLAF) that same year. During the 1995 WLAF season, Ball did not catch any passes. However, he did gain 28 yards from kick returns.

During his NFL career, Ball was also part of the practice teams for both the Jets and the Carolina Panthers. He stayed with the Panthers until late 1995. He didn't play in any official games due to an injury. His football career ended because of this injury. After retiring, he became a personal trainer in California.

In the Media Spotlight

LaVar Ball started getting a lot of public attention in late 2016. This was mainly because of his sons' growing fame. In 2015, a story by Gary Parrish of CBS Sports about the Ball family made national news. In 2016, Ball began to show his confident personality in interviews. He described his son Lonzo as "Magic (Johnson) with a jumper." The family's popularity grew after SLAM magazine featured them.

Ball quickly became famous for his bold comments about his children. For example, in November 2016, he promised that UCLA, with Lonzo leading the team, would win the 2017 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. In December, he predicted that all three of his sons would play only one year of college basketball before joining the NBA.

Athlete Comparisons and Claims

Many of Ball's unusual claims involved famous basketball players. In early 2017, he said that Lonzo was a better player than Stephen Curry, who had won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award twice. Many people thought these comments were "outrageous." Ball also stated that his oldest son was "the best player in the world," comparing him to NBA MVPs LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.

In March 2017, Ball claimed he could beat Michael Jordan in a one-on-one game. He said Jordan would only be able to foul him and couldn't stop him. People widely made fun of this statement because Ball had only averaged 2.2 points per game in college. His comments about Jordan greatly increased his media attention. He even appeared on the ESPN show First Take to debate his claims. A video of this segment has been viewed millions of times online. In 2018, Ball also said he could beat Kobe Bryant one-on-one. In 2020, he suggested playing Jordan for $200 million on pay-per-view. However, a simulated game in NBA 2K21 showed Jordan winning easily.

Business Ventures

Big Baller Brand

LaVar Ball is the co-founder and CEO of Big Baller Brand. This sports clothing company started in 2016. Ball often promoted his brand on national TV, comparing it to big shoe companies like Nike and Adidas.

In May 2017, Big Baller Brand released its first shoes, the ZO2, which cost $495. This price caused a lot of discussion. Many people, including NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, criticized Ball for making the shoes so expensive. Some NFL players also spoke out about the price, while others supported it. Ball responded on Twitter, saying, "If you can't afford the ZO2'S, you're NOT a BIG BALLER!"

In September 2017, Big Baller Brand announced a signature shoe for LaVar's youngest son, LaMelo Ball. The Melo Ball 1 (MB1) was priced at $395. This again raised questions about LaMelo's eligibility to play college basketball. LaVar said he didn't care about the college rules and would release the shoe anyway. After his son LiAngelo left UCLA, Ball created a shoe for him called the Gelo 3, also around $395.

In March 2019, news came out that Lonzo Ball had ended his relationship with Big Baller Brand's manager, Alan Foster. Lonzo claimed that Foster had stolen money from the company. Lonzo also stopped wearing Big Baller Brand shoes and started wearing Nike shoes instead. LaVar later said he regretted trusting Foster with his son's business. The family even considered closing the business entirely after this news.

Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas

Ball (left) being interviewed by ESPN in January 2018

In January 2018, LaVar's sons LaMelo and LiAngelo started playing for the Lithuanian basketball team Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas. Ball then started several business projects involving the team and Big Baller Brand. Vytautas left its league and created a five-game series called the Big Baller Brand Challenge Games to show off the Ball brothers. These games were streamed live on Facebook and heavily promoted Big Baller Brand.

LaVar Ball reportedly gave money to Vytautas to help them pay off debts. This made Big Baller Brand the team's main sponsor. Ball also expressed his liking for Lithuania. However, during his time there, Ball also criticized the team's head coach. In April 2018, Ball announced he was taking his sons off the team to return to the US. The coach of Vytautas said the Ball family "came for the show, not for basketball." LaVar later said that everything in Lithuania went exactly as he planned for his sons.

Junior Basketball Association

In December 2017, LaVar Ball announced he would create the Junior Basketball Association (JBA). This league was fully funded by Big Baller Brand. It was designed as an option for high school players who didn't want to play college basketball. The league aimed to have 80 players on 8 teams, playing in major NBA arenas. Players in the JBA would earn money, from $3,000 to $10,000 per month. The league's rules were similar to the NBA's, and players wore Big Baller Brand gear. The JBA's logo featured a silhouette of his oldest son, Lonzo.

Ball's idea for the league came after his son LiAngelo Ball left UCLA. In May 2018, Ball announced that his youngest son, LaMelo, would play in the league. LiAngelo also joined the league in July 2018. During the first All-Star Game in August 2018, Ball coached one of the teams. His sons LiAngelo and LaMelo were on that team.

Other Basketball Events

Because of his growing fame, LaVar Ball organized other basketball events. In early 2018, while his sons were in Lithuania, he created the Big Baller Brand Challenge Games and the Big Baller Brand International Tournament. The Challenge Games were exhibition matches for Vytautas against other Lithuanian teams. The International Tournament was a round-robin competition where Vytautas played teams from different countries.

After the 2018 JBA season, the league planned an international season. This was to have JBA teams play against young basketball teams from other countries. However, a fight during one of the games led to the cancellation of other games in the season.

Public Reactions

Many of LaVar Ball's actions and comments have caused a lot of discussion. He has received both criticism and praise from different media outlets. In 2017, Forbes magazine called him "one of the most polarizing figures in sports today."

People have described him as "outrageous" and "wild." Some famous basketball figures, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, have said that Ball has had a negative impact on the sport. NBA players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have criticized him. Others, including John Wall and Reggie Miller, have also spoken about his influence on his children. Steve Kerr even called Ball "the Kardashian of the NBA." However, some NBA stars like DeMarcus Cousins, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Durant have supported Ball.

Controversial Comments

LaVar Ball has faced criticism for some of his comments. For example, after UCLA lost a basketball game in 2017, Ball made a comment about his son's teammates that was seen as controversial. Lonzo said he saw the remarks "as a joke." Some people called Ball's comments "racist," while others said they were "politically incorrect." Ball later said, "I love those guys" and blamed his son for the loss.

In May 2017, Ball appeared on a TV show called The Herd with Colin Cowherd. His comments towards the female host, Kristine Leahy, were seen as disrespectful. He did not look at her during the interview. When she asked him about his shoe sales, he told her, "Stay in your lane." Leahy felt Ball was disrespecting women. Ball responded by calling her a "hater." He also made comments that were seen as threatening. Leahy later said that it was not okay to disrespect her or make threats. The Washington Post said Ball had become "obnoxious." After this, Big Baller Brand started selling women's clothing and T-shirts that said "Stay in Yo Lane."

Ball also faced criticism in July 2017 while coaching his Big Baller Brand team. He asked for a female referee to be replaced after she gave him a technical foul. He threatened to pull his team from the game if she wasn't replaced. The referee was replaced, but Ball got another technical foul and was ejected from the game. He said the referee was "trying to act" tough and needed to "stay in her lane."

After this incident, the referee group for the event stopped working with Adidas. Adidas apologized, saying that removing the referee was "the wrong decision." Many media outlets criticized Ball's actions. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas called Ball a "misogynistic buffoon."

Parenting Style

LaVar Ball's parenting style has caused much debate. He has received both praise and criticism. His style has been compared to other famous sports parents like Richard Williams and Earl Woods. Ball is often praised for raising three talented basketball players and for his entertaining personality. However, he has also been criticized for several reasons.

Some have said that LaVar tries to "get rich off his kids' accomplishments." Ball was also criticized for reportedly turning down a $10 million shoe contract for Lonzo from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour. Instead, he chose to continue with his own company, Big Baller Brand. Before the 2017 NBA draft, some thought Ball might be "baggage" for Lonzo because of his frequent bold claims. One NBA general manager criticized Ball for putting too much pressure on Lonzo. In October 2017, Ball removed his son LaMelo from high school to train him personally. A writer for USA Today called Ball "the worst sports parent ever" for this decision.

Personal Life

LaVar Ball met his wife, Tina Slatinsky, at Cal State Los Angeles. They married in 1997. They have three sons: Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo. Lonzo plays for the Chicago Bulls, and LaMelo plays for the Charlotte Hornets. LiAngelo last played for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2021 NBA Summer League. LiAngelo and LaMelo also played for the Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas team in Lithuania from late 2017 to early 2018. LaVar was an assistant coach for Vytautas in some games and was head coach for the final game of the Big Baller Brand Challenge Games. He also coached Vytautas in the Big Baller Brand International Tournament. In 2017, his wife, Tina, had a stroke, which affected her ability to speak.

When his youngest son, LaMelo, was four years old, Ball began training all his sons to play basketball. He taught them many skills. They later played for his Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, Big Ballers VXT. For a short time, Ball also had them play flag football. Lonzo played quarterback, and his brothers caught passes. After a successful high school career at Chino Hills High School, Lonzo became a star at UCLA. Ball's younger sons also played at the same high school. LiAngelo briefly attended UCLA before joining LaMelo in Lithuania and later playing for the Los Angeles Ballers in the JBA.

Reality Television

In July 2017, it was announced that Facebook would release a reality TV show about the Ball family. The show, called Ball in the Family, started airing on Facebook in August. It was produced by the same company that created Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The show even led to a local pizza shop in Lithuania expanding its business and creating a special pizza named after LaVar. In February 2018, LaVar Ball and his son Lonzo competed against each other on the show Lip Sync Battle, with LaVar winning the episode.

Images for kids

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  Ball in 2018

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  Ball (left) being interviewed by ESPN in January 2018