LaVar Ball is an American businessman, former professional football player, and a media personality known for his bold remarks and involvement in sports through his family and business ventures. Co-founder of the sports apparel company Big Baller Brand and the now-defunct Junior Basketball Association (JBA), Ball has made headlines for his claims about his sons’ prowess in basketball, particularly his eldest son, Lonzo Ball.
Ball’s life is a blend of sports, controversy, and entrepreneurship, making him one of the more colorful figures in the world of basketball. His ability to command media attention—whether for his sons’ careers or his business decisions—has both earned him notoriety and secured his place as a public figure in American sports culture.
Early Life and Athletic Career
Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1967, LaVar Ball was one of seven children. He grew up in the Canoga Park neighborhood, where he attended Canoga Park High School. There, he was not only the football team’s quarterback but also made a name for himself on the basketball court, where he set a school record of 316 rebounds in a single season.
Ball went on to attend West Los Angeles College, where he initially played basketball before transferring to Washington State University and later to Cal State Los Angeles. After college, LaVar switched sports, pursuing a professional football career. He played briefly for the London Monarchs, a team in the World League of American Football (WLAF). He also signed with the New York Jets and spent time with the Carolina Panthers, although injuries prevented him from playing any games in the NFL. His short-lived football career would eventually give way to his ventures in sports training and business.
Big Baller Brand
In 2016, Ball co-founded Big Baller Brand with business partner Alan Foster, positioning the company as a family-owned sports apparel brand. The company became a vehicle for Ball to promote his sons, especially Lonzo Ball, who was on his way to the NBA. The brand’s signature product was Lonzo’s first shoe, the ZO2, which was priced at a whopping $495.
The brand garnered media attention for its bold pricing and LaVar’s refusal to sign an endorsement deal with major shoe companies like Nike, Adidas, or Under Armour. Ball instead insisted on co-branding deals, stating, “We’re looking for co-branding, a true partner.” His rationale for this strategy was compared to disruptive businesses like Uber, claiming that the shoe industry was not ready for his innovative approach.
Despite initial hype, Big Baller Brand faced a slew of challenges. The quality of the shoes was questioned, and sales did not meet expectations. In 2019, Lonzo severed ties with the brand after allegations surfaced that co-founder Alan Foster had embezzled $1.5 million from the company. Following this, Lonzo switched to Nike. These internal issues, combined with the brand’s inability to break into the mainstream market, significantly damaged its reputation, although LaVar continued to stand by the brand publicly.
The Junior Basketball Association (JBA)
Riding the wave of Big Baller Brand’s initial success, Ball launched the Junior Basketball Association in 2017, promoting it as an alternative to college basketball. The league was designed to give high school and junior college players a professional pathway without needing to go through the NCAA, offering them salaries and the opportunity to wear Big Baller Brand merchandise.
Unfortunately, the JBA was plagued by controversy from the start. Critics argued that the league was primarily created to boost the profile of LaVar’s sons, particularly LaMelo Ball and LiAngelo Ball, at the expense of other players. The league also faced backlash for failing to honor contracts and being poorly organized. After just one season, the JBA folded in 2019, marking another failed venture for LaVar Ball.
Controversial Media Presence
LaVar Ball first gained widespread media attention in 2016 when his son Lonzo began playing for UCLA. His over-the-top claims, such as predicting that Lonzo would be better than Stephen Curry and that all three of his sons would become NBA superstars, quickly made headlines. He often made audacious statements, like asserting that he could have beaten Michael Jordan one-on-one during his prime. These remarks, while seen as laughable by many, helped cement LaVar as a media figure whose persona was as large as his business ambitions.
In 2017, Ball caused an uproar during an appearance on Fox Sports’ “The Herd with Colin Cowherd“ when he refused to address co-host Kristine Leahy, telling her to “stay in your lane” after she questioned his business model. This phrase later appeared on Big Baller Brand merchandise, sparking further criticism. Additionally, Ball was criticized for sexist remarks and inappropriate behavior toward female sports figures.
The controversy didn’t end there. In July 2017, Ball made headlines at the Adidas Summer Championships when he demanded that a female referee be replaced after she gave him a technical foul. His abrasive public persona led to an unofficial ban from ESPN after making a sexually suggestive comment on their show “First Take” in 2019.
Incident in China
In 2017, Ball’s son LiAngelo made international headlines for his involvement in a shoplifting incident in China while on a UCLA basketball trip. Along with teammates Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, LiAngelo was arrested for stealing from a luxury store in Hangzhou, facing serious legal consequences, including a potential prison sentence. Although President Donald Trump claimed credit for securing the players’ release, LaVar Ball downplayed the incident, leading to a public spat between him and Trump on Twitter.
The incident not only damaged LiAngelo’s reputation but also contributed to his indefinite suspension from UCLA, further derailing his basketball career at the time.
Personal Life
LaVar Ball married Tina Slatinsky in 1997, and the couple has three sons: Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo Ball. All three boys were trained by their father from a young age to play basketball, with LaVar grooming them for professional careers. His involvement in their lives has been both praised and criticized, with some lauding his dedication to his children’s success and others deriding his controlling nature.
The Ball family became an even bigger media sensation when Lonzo was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, followed by LaMelo being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2020. Despite the controversy surrounding their father, the Ball brothers have each found varying degrees of success in their professional basketball careers.
Conclusion
LaVar Ball remains one of the most polarizing figures in sports today. His bold personality, combined with his entrepreneurial ventures like Big Baller Brand and the Junior Basketball Association, has kept him in the public eye, despite repeated failures and controversies. Although his business endeavors have faced numerous challenges, and his brash attitude has alienated many, Ball’s unwavering support of his sons and his willingness to defy conventional norms have made him a unique figure in the sports world.
