Lonzo Ball on LaVar's 'damaged goods' moment: 'That’s what fathers and sons do'
The Ball family grabbed headlines again last week when patriarch LaVar Ball referenced his eldest son, New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, as “damaged goods.”
Lonzo Ball said the moment was reacted to differently and was more wide-spread than any other on their Facebook Watch show, “Ball in the Family.” He told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on The Woj Pod it’s “always love at the end”
Lonzo Ball: Dad disagreement ‘part of life’
On last week’s episode of the show, the family addressed former Big Baller Brand business partner Alan Foster’s alleged seven-figure embezzlement and if it should change the name of the company.
Lonzo Ball, who reportedly owns a majority of the company and split ties with Foster early on, wanted to change it. LaVar Ball was against it, using the analogy that he wouldn’t change Lonzo’s name to Alfonzo “on the fact that he’s been damaged goods for two years.”
Lonzo Ball told Wojnarowski that the clip was the most popular on the show so far, but there are no hard feelings about it between father and son.
“It was everywhere. It’s part of life. I’m growing up. He has his ways and I have mine. And we just got into it. That’s what fathers and sons do as time goes on. At the end of the day, it’s always love at the end. I know he loves me, I love him. We're just not always going to agree on everything. That's all it was."
It could be argued many fathers and sons rarely agree, but throwing in a comment on how your kid is “damaged goods” might not be the best path to take.
Ball doesn’t regret shoe fiasco
Ball laid bare the details of his Big Baller Brand signature ZO2 sneakers on the LightHarted Podcast earlier this month and it wasn’t good. Ball said the shoes would fall apart within minutes and he had to keep swapping them out every quarter during summer league as a rookie.
He told Wojnarowski it was “different” adjusting to the NBA while also adjusting to a flawed non-Kobe shoe.
"It was different, but at the same time, we were trying to build a brand. I had to wear them. But there was no way we could play in the shoes I had in summer league. There was no way they would make it to the NBA court ... But I don't make excuses. I don't regret anything I did."
Lonzo says it’s easier because he controls things
Lonzo said things with his dad are easier now because he has taken control of his life. He’s in a new city, New Orleans, after spending most of his life in Los Angeles with the family nearby. After mutually splitting with his agent, he decided to sign with Creative Artists Agency in April.
"What makes it easier is I'm controlling everything now," he said on the podcast. "You really can't tell me what to do. It's my life, my career. I'm making all the decisions now. I chose to go to CAA. I think me becoming my own man is going to make it easier, honestly."
He’s encouraging his youngest brother, LaMelo, to do the same but do it early in his career.
LaMelo testing shoe waters
LaMelo received attention this week when ESPN published a story saying he was in the conversation for the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft. LaMelo is playing in Australia, his latest landing spot in a years-long basketball path.
Lonzo didn’t take meetings with shoe companies because BBB was focused on releasing his own shoe, he told Wojnarowski, but he wants something different for his little brother.
"But I tell him all the time, this is going to be your decision. Go talk to Adidas. Go talk to Nike. Go talk to Puma. Go talk to everybody. Take every meeting. Whoever wants you the most, go with them. I told him, make sure you take control of your career now. Don't wait like I did. Hopefully that helps him. He seems like he's taking it all in. I'm excited for him."
The potential No. 1 pick putting his family business to the side for Nike? We can already see the “Big Baller Brand” teaser of that scene.
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