****The Everything LaVar Ball Thread****

[VARNELL HILL]

I'm indifferent on what this means for Melo.

They were never going to sign with one of the top leagues in Europe, but I thought China was the most obvious move from an economic standpoint. Still think they'll get there eventually.

On the flip side...the key word here is development. Are you getting in the gym everyday, putting in work in the weight room, watching film, getting up 300-400 shots, running hills, etc. Are you learning how to eat right, learning the nuances of European basketball, picking ppl's brains, etc. This is all WAY more important than what the box score will say after a game.

I'm more concerned with him learning HOW to play basketball...because Chino Hills and AAU are glorified pickup games.

He isn't draft eligible until 2020. This is just the first stop in the next few years.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Lithuania? The hell you doin’ LaVar?

Hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Lithuania ain’t the move

Spoiled kid in a whole different country with his water head older brother

 

[God]

Can their mom travel? I know she's ailing, it's gonna be pretty hard on her having her boys so far away

She was in china when my man Gelo was earning stripes.

 

[doublemesh96]

For everyone questioning the Lithuania move, if you go anywhere on a pro level and ball out you gonna get looks. If they play mediocre on that Lithuanian team tho it would look real bad.

 

[deuce king]

With this latest move this entire circus act appears to be coming to an end. Hopefully sooner rather than later. In life you reap what you sow......we'll see what this does for the kids and Lavar more importantly.

 

[kaye91anthony]

I'm still getting a kick out of the lamelo to lebron comparisons in hs. Disrespectful

 

[hand2handking]

lamelo gonna get his ged online overseas?

 

[wavycrocket]

I'm still getting a kick out of the lamelo to lebron comparisons in hs. Disrespectful

If we’re Comparing soley popularity.

It’s not at all disrespectful. Lamelo is THAT popular. You’re on a message board talking about him...and he hasn’t played more than 2 years of high school basketball.

 

[kaye91anthony]

If we’re Comparing soley popularity.

It’s not at all disrespectful. Lamelo is THAT popular. You’re on a message board talking about him...and he hasn’t played more than 2 years of high school basketball.

I completely agree with you on popularity, but from a skill standpoint regarding basketball I do not see it. Lamelos chino hills and big baller aau games look like rec center pickup games compared to lebrons SV-SM games. Im not knocking lamelo, I just dont see how they can be compared imo

 

[Cashflow]

Rec CenterPickuo Games? LaMelo shut down a whole gym this past summer to the point where LeBron decided against attending the game because of all the fanfare and chaos

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/lebron-left-lamelo-ball-aau-game-car-article-1.3361597

 

[wavycrocket]

I completely agree with you on popularity, but from a skill standpoint regarding basketball I do not see it. Lamelos chino hills and big baller aau games look like rec center pickup games compared to lebrons SV-SM games. Im not knocking lamelo, I just dont see how they can be compared imo

You wouldn’t find one person on this board that would compare the two from a basketball standpoint .

Where are you seeing this man? Bron might’ve been THE best high school prospect ever.

Melo is just top 10 in his class. I think this is all in your mind....cuz somebody has to be out of their mind to even try and compare the two.

 

[God]

I completely agree with you on popularity, but from a skill standpoint regarding basketball I do not see it. Lamelos chino hills and big baller aau games look like rec center pickup games compared to lebrons SV-SM games. Im not knocking lamelo, I just dont see how they can be compared imo

Chino hills plays in the open class and plays the best teams across the country and did so with a winning record. They had a bounce back game against Compton Magic in AAU and are pretty competitive against the other top teams.

So are saying all these top programs are rec-center esque.

 

[wavycrocket]

I Lamelos chino hills and big baller aau games look like rec center pickup games compared to lebrons SV-SM games.

Also....Chino Hills plays a national schedule. And have been one of the top teams in the country during the Ball era. Even winning a national championship.

They play the same elite teams Bron played in high school. Matter Dei, Oak Hill etc.

 

[Mr.Guy]

Gelo must really suck. Son couldn’t even get a look from the Harlem Globetrotters

 

[VARNELL HILL]

For everyone questioning the Lithuania move, if you go anywhere on a pro level and ball out you gonna get looks. If they play mediocre on that Lithuanian team tho it would look real bad.

You do realize they're playing grown men right?

People who don't know anything about basketball are going to expect Melo to treat professional European basketball like Chino Hills and drop 30 every game at 16

 

[atlsfinest]

Gelo must really suck. Son couldn’t even get a look from the Harlem Globetrotters

He doesn't suck. He's just a regular D-1 basketball player. The only reason he got a scholarship offer to UCLA was because it was a package deal with Gelo. He should have really been playing at a Mid-Major. He was never a pro prospect anyway so this doesn't hurt his career all that much.

 

[doublemesh96]

You do realize they're playing grown men right?

People who don't know anything about basketball are going to expect Melo to treat professional European basketball like Chino Hills and drop 30 every game at 16

People aren’t dumb they know he’s a child. The fact that he can hold his own in that league will be proof enough. It’s not like he’s gonna be posting up in the blocks and **** he’s a spot up shooter

 

[RustyShackleford]

The three boys were a package with Zo being the prize for UCLA.

But when they offered I am sure they didn't expect to Gelo's game to be in the state it is in now. They probably thought Gelo would be a decent get too.

Looking at him as a sophomore, it would not be a wild assumption to think he could become a 4-Star recruit and be ranked in 70-100 range. Which would be reasonable for a last in prospect to get into UCLA.

Hell as a senior if he had a good summer on the AAU circuit, played decent against Nationally ranked teams, and Chino made a deep playoff run, he probably would be rated in the top 100, and maybe even be in the conversation to be in some High School All Star games.

The door was open for him to make a name for himself and flourish, and he could not manage to walk through any of them. Dude has not improved a licked in years.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

I completely agree with you on popularity, but from a skill standpoint regarding basketball I do not see it. Lamelos chino hills and big baller aau games look like rec center pickup games compared to lebrons SV-SM games. Im not knocking lamelo, I just dont see how they can be compared imo

People keep saying as far as popularity, ok. But that's in this new social media celeb era. This is like when people tried to say Kevin Hart is as big as Eddie Murphy. It's really no comparison cuz it's a different world. If Lebron had social media and a hype man father he would blow Melo's popularity out.

I don't see how people are giving the Balls points for popularity. Gelo won cuz he got on a pro team in nowhere. I want them to shine but I ain't giving them points for being celebs. That **** can disappear fast if they don't ball out.

 

[wavycrocket]

People keep saying as far as popularity, ok. But that's in this new social media celeb era. This is like when people tried to say Kevin Hart is as big as Eddie Murphy. It's really no comparison cuz it's a different world. If Lebron had social media and a hype man father he would blow Melo's popularity out.

I don't see how people are giving the Balls points for popularity. Gelo won cuz he got on a pro team in nowhere. I want them to shine but I ain't giving them points for being celebs. That **** can disappear fast if they don't ball out.

Why does it matter how and why they are popular . Point is...Melo is one of, if not the most popular high school basketball players ever. And of course that is because of social media, his family etc

I legit don’t get the idea of “points” for that .

Every generation is going to benefit from that. Wilt would’ve been LeBron if ESPN was covering his games in the 50s or something. It’s just a weird argument to stand on.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

It's pointless to put him with Lebron when they're popular for different reasons.

Wilt and Lebron we knew they were life changing players.

 

[calibeebee]

Is it just me, or has Lavar changed his whole stance on how he wants his kids' careers to go a few times now? Like at first it was, they are gonna take over UCLA, they are gonna dominate the PAC-12 at the same time, ooops they don't need college it's straight to the NBA to play on the lakers at the same time, oops it's all about BBB now and making money nothing else matters, oops money doesn't matter when it comes to selling sneakers it's more about only the select few can be big ballers............

Now with his latest tweet says "It's not about the money for the Ball Brothers. They have a passion to play Basketball and to experience playing as pros was the Goal." Like what?? You can play basketball together at the local YMCA. The dedication and amount of time he's put these kids through should mean wanting to be the best, wanting to play against the best, wanting to make the most money, etc. Now it's, oh it's all about the good ol' passion of the game of baskey' ball y'all shucks ‍.

 

[atlsfinest]

Is it just me, or has Lavar changed his whole stance on how he wants his kids' careers to go a few times now? Like at first it was, they are gonna take over UCLA, they are gonna dominate the PAC-12 at the same time, ooops they don't need college it's straight to the NBA to play on the lakers at the same time, oops it's all about BBB now and making money nothing else matters, oops money doesn't matter when it comes to selling sneakers it's more about only the select few can be big ballers............

Now with his latest tweet says "It's not about the money for the Ball Brothers. They have a passion to play Basketball and to experience playing as pros was the Goal." Like what?? You can play basketball together at the local YMCA. The dedication and amount of time he's put these kids through should mean wanting to be the best, wanting to play against the best, wanting to make the most money, etc. Now it's, oh it's all about the good ol' passion of the game of baskey' ball y'all shucks ‍.

He's like Trump. Even when he's wrong he can't admit it and has to act like it was all part of the plan anyway. It's like I was saying afew pages ago. There is no grand BBB plan, he's just going with the flow and making it up as he goes.

I can already see the the '30 for 30' now, "What if I told you, a father thought he could speak it into existence..."

 

[Proposition Joe]

Melo was than man in HS and was going to be the man at UCLA.

Lavar and lonzo sleeping peacefully in their 10,000 sq ft Cali mansions while the siblings are in Lithuania.

Gelo whatever, but I don't see how this is a good move for Melo, I think lavars ego got the best of him.

 

[VARNELL HILL]

Here's why it's important that grassroots basketball and the structure surrounding professional basketball needs a complete makeover:

Bryce Harper's father "pulled him" out of high school after the 10th grade. He got his GED and enrolled in CC so that he could be eligible for the amateur draft earlier.

No sensationalism.
No one claiming how bad Bryce's father was.
No one talking about a "kid needs to be a kid".
No one saying "he's going to miss all of the things that comes with being a high school star"

It's completely accepted and understood...simply because there's an infrastructure in place for him or someone else with elite ability to pursue these things.

In basketball however...whether it's Melo Ball or Brandon Jennings...they aren't afforded that luxury and everyone points the finger and say "ooooo they're skipping school. all bad".