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LaVar Ball Was Playin’, UCLA Basketball Is Not Winning the NCAA Championship

By Mike Regalado

Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Lavar Ball embraces his son UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) after the game against the Washington State Cougars at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Lavar Ball embraces his son UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) after the game against the Washington State Cougars at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The infamous LaVar Ball had his first premonition shot down as the UCLA Basketball team has exited the NCAA Tournament and will not win a national title as he predicted, devaluing his credibility.

The reason LaVar Ball is such a polarizing figure is because although he is entertaining, he makes claims that are quite outlandish and often unbelievable. The first claim, which got all of our attention early in the season, was about the UCLA Basketball team winning the NCAA Championship.

Since then, he has made claims that his son Lonzo Ball is better than Steph Curry, he would have beaten Michael Jordan in his heyday and that L.A. stands for “LaVar is Awesome”.

As ridiculous as his claims appear to be, they always appear to be attention-seeking rather than based on fact.

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Well, unfortunately for him, his first claim has been shot down and that is not a good thing for a man that has voiced his many strong opinions on [insert nationally televised sports show here]. The point is that his opinion is just that, an opinion that is making him less and less credible.

LaVar has become a character. One that has come straight out of Chino Hills and into the forefront of sports talk across the country. He has gone back and forth with Charles Barkley and even out-Steph A. Smithed the actual Stephen A. Smith. It has been one big show for one big marketing scheme to promote his three sons, his Big Baller Brand, and most importantly, himself.

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But what happens when the talking cannot be backed up? How will people perceive Ball in the future when he makes big claims and they do not fall through? If UCLA actually beat Kentucky, then UNC and then rattled off two wins in the Final Four to get that 12th banner, then he would look like a super-genius. Currently, that is not the case.

Let us take his first claim to fame, “UCLA is going to win the NCAA Championship. You think I’m playin’?” Well then. Apparently he was playin’, or at the very least, was just trying to get attention. Either way, he was wrong and this does not reflect well on him, his brand or his boys.

In particular, the last item has been the one negative bulletpoint people have focused on when LaVar Ball opens his mouth. LaVar can talk about himself all he wants, but once he starts talking about how great his sons are, that is where it gets dangerous. Lonzo Ball should adapt to the NBA quite easily, but now he has to go out and prove that he can be the superstar that his father has claimed he can be.

But now it is different. With LaVar’s claim about UCLA winning a national title and them not following through, critics will now rethink everything he says.

From scouts assessing Lonzo’s draft stock to NBA players waiting to shut down the oldest Ball Brother, LaVar has just made it that much harder for his sons to succeed.

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The worst part is that his sons already have the talent to speak for themselves. With LaVar, they now have to make his claims come true. It is not just LaVar that won’t live up to expectations, but if he I not careful, it will also be his son’s careers.