LA Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball's father LaVar made an offensive comment that Lakers coach Luke Walton lost the confidence of the team

LA Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball - NBA photo   LA Lakers 37 year-old coach Luke Walton - NBA photo   LA Lakers owner Jeannie Buss   LA Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson

SPORTS NOTES - LAKERS REACT 2 LaVar's BALLS ATTACK

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Ball's recent offensive comments that LA Lakers coach Luke Walton has lost the team's confidence and eluded that Walton should be fired following a nine-game losing streak has raised the ire of many NBA coaches and executives and has attracted huge media interest. This is the third time Ball has made such a disturbing comment

Sunday, January 14, 2018

LONZO'S FATHER LaVAR ATTACKS LAKERS COACH LUKE WALTON

Prior to the NBA Draft Conor McGregor was the mouth the roared. That changed during the days leading up to the NBA draft in which LaVar Ball took over the title of the MOUTH THAT ROARS. In recent days and in the new year of 2018 the mouth from the South (LA) has asserted himself in taking the lead in the talking too much contest.

Ball's recent offensive comments that LA Lakers coach Luke Walton has lost the team's confidence and eluded that Walton should be fired following a nine-game losing streak has raised the ire of many NBA coaches and executives and has attracted huge media interest. This is the third time Ball has made such a disturbing comment the previous came in November and during the Christmas holidays.

"What's happening now," a rival team executive said, "is that every team's fears about drafting Lonzo (his son) are coming true."

Following LaVar's flare-up the Lakers came together and broke their losing streak with four wins in a row stating with a convincing 132-113 victory over the Atlanta Hawks followed by wins over Sacramento, San Antonio and Dallas.

Apparently Lonzo wasn't affected by his father's comments and played steady by averaging 11ppg, 9 rpg and 7 apg. that was initiated with a 13 point, 10 rebound and 6 assist performance against Atlanta. His being well grounded and exemplifying maturity and composure is the good news of what his father has instilled in him.

Lonzo downplayed his father's comments by saying "He's a grown man, He's going to say what he wants. I can't do [anything] about it."

Walton said he believes his job is secure. Indeed, the Lakers are satisfied with the job Walton is doing, a team source told Yahoo Sports, and have no intention of firing him. Unfortunately for the Lakers, LaVar Ball won't stop talking.

The 20-year-old Ball has gained the respect of his teammates that like and support him during his NBA learning experience. Walton has shown his support by giving Ball time on the court to make mistakes and develop his skills at an NBA level by playing him over 30 minutes a game among the squads best.

Prior to the draft Ball's interference was a concern of several NBA teams as being a potential problem that may not be worth dealing with. At that time LaVar made it known that his son would only play for the Lakers who would draft Lonzo second overall.

Steve Alford, Lonzo's college coach at UCLA claimed that LaVar never interfered with how he coached his son. Apparently times have changed since big money is involved. Popular opinion is leaning to LaVar's balls are proving to be too BIG.

Dallas Mavericks coach and president of the NBA Coaches Association Rick Carlisle was critical of ESPN giving LaVar a platform to voice his comments. He said it's a "disgrace" that ESPN published LaVar Ball's comments critical of Lakers coach Luke Walton. Carlisle said such comments shouldn't be published if they have no merit or validity.

Carlisle came to Walton's aid by pointing out how difficult it is to coach a young inexperienced squad.

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said he was "totally impressed" by Walton and called LaVar's criticism "unfortunate in a lot of different ways.

Walton's reaction is to preach to his team that the only opinions that matter are the ones in his locker room, a classic Phil Jackson approach of letting chaos outside the bubble of the team bring the group closer together. Privately, sources close to Walton said he's more annoyed by the distraction than concerned about his job security.

"It's all the same idea," Walton said. "It's our job to, as coaches, to coach our team, to not be concerned with parents, with what other people outside the organization think. A lot of them have shown support as far as they know what it's like to coach young teams and from what they see in how hard our young group plays. They really like our young team and the way that they compete."

Walton has expressed concern how the team reacts to losses by letting themselves feel down and not recovering from a defeat and focusing on winning the next game. Early in the season he requested to Ball to be more assertive in his play.

An ESPN report questioned if it is time for Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson to step in and get LaVar under control before he becomes a negative influence on the productivity of the team. When the Lakers drafted Lonzo Johnson claimed that he wasn't concerned about LaVar's comments and said that LaVar was only interested in his son which is as it should be.

In November Ball went overboard with negative comments about Walton and Johnson requested him to tone it down a bit. That happened but now the ball is back on LaVar's court and his mouth is again out of control... AGAIN! Like Donald Trump's expressing himself by using Twitter LaVar used ESPN as his pipeline to voice his opinion.

The Lakers thought they muzzled Ball last month, when public criticism of Walton forced a meeting with Ball, team president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka. Ball declared everyone on the same page then, yet the Lakers recent skid has renewed his attacks, driving a wedge between the second-year coach and L.A.'s young star.

Walton earned the respect of his NBA peers during 2015–16 training camp in October 2015, Walton was appointed as the Warriors interim head coach when Steve Kerr took an indefinite leave of absence to rehabilitate his back. While gaining the respect of NBA super dtars he guiding Golden State to a 19–0 start. That resulted in him being named the NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November. He accomplished the fete without LaVar's help.

LaVar is recognized as being a promoter particularly regarding his Big Baller Brand of sporting goods. He also has been managing the development of his younger sons LaMelo and LiAngelo who have signed a pro contract to play in Lithuania with Vytautas Prienai.

Ball is not regarded as an individual with NBA coaching or playing experience. He is not regarded as an authority of how to play the game as the NBA level. Ball is gaining the reputation of being recognized as a blowhard. As San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich commented about LaVar's outburst is to consider the source.

With the season having reached the halfway point of 41 games the Lakers are in an outrageous situation of having to sit the parent of one of their players down and asking him to behave and not interfere with the teams business as well as trying to better last seasons 26 win season, the best under the disastrous Jeanie Buss leadership era.

It raises the question if LaVar will take his ball, pout and go home or respect the interest of the team and not interfere. The maturation process goes on for the young Lakers squad the question is will the maturation process apply to the mighty mouth LaVar. THE BALL IS NOW ON LaVAR'S COURT. Stay tuned…

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