It looks like the Big Baller Brand may need to expand into its own university in addition to just hawking sneakers.
LaVar Ball, the bombastic owner and founder of the infamous BBB, is a man known for bold moves and even bolder statements. And on Monday he may have outdone himself yet again.
ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, received word from Ball that he’s pulling his son, LiAngelo, out of UCLA.
The New York Times’ Adam Zagoria received confirmation from UCLA head coach Steve Alford that LiAngelo will be leaving the program.
LiAngelo was a freshman with the Bruins but was indefinitely suspended by the team after a shoplifting incident in China along with teammates Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, an event that not only brought embarrassment to the school but was in direct violation of the university’s student code of conduct against theft.
Regardless of this, however, LaVar is not happy with how the Bruins have treated his son.
“We are exploring other options with Gelo,” the Ball family patriarch told ESPN. “He’s out of there.”
“I’m not sitting back and waiting,” he continued. “He wasn’t punished this bad in China.”
“We get back over here and the consequences were even stiffer than China. So basically they’re in jail here.”
LaVar says no decision has been made whether LiAngelo will transfer to another school but, judging by his comments, he’s likely to get his one year of post-secondary education directly from the Big Baller Academy.
“I’m going to make him way better for the draft than UCLA ever could have,” LaVar said.
“He’s not transferring to another school. The plan is now to get Gelo ready for the NBA draft.”
The Ball family already features one player in the NBA in Lonzo, who was taken No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in this past June’s draft, but while much of the foundation of his game was taught by LaVar, he still played one season at UCLA in 2016-17, something LiAngelo – a player who was just listed as a three-star recruit – won’t have the benefit of.
LaMelo, the third and youngest Ball son, still intends to attend UCLA in 2019, LaVar told ESPN, however, according to ESPN, UCLA will likely rescind the scholarship offer in the wake of the LaVar’s seemingly constant meddling and the humiliation LiAngelo helped bring to the school.
[relatedlinks]
