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What's the story?
The folks at Bleacher Report are reporting on a rule that was already in place but is now being reinforced thanks to the outlandish LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, who plays point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. The media are not supposed to interview friends or family members of NBA players after games.
In case you didn't know...
LaVar Ball started gaining notoriety prior to the 2017 NBA Draft when he proclaimed that his son Lonzo was better than two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry. Once that statement started getting attention, the crazy train left the station.
The heart of the matter
It is unknown why the league allowed this to go on up to this point, but the breaking point may have come last Wednesday when the elder Ball criticized Julius Randle for not passing the ball to his son. He also criticized the team's head coach, Luke Walton, for his timeout management late in last Wednesday's game as well.
ESPN's Chris Haynes says that the policy is not new, as it was already in place. There is a section within each arena that is strictly for the family and friends of the players, and for privacy reasons, the media are not allowed to enter that area after games.
Interestingly enough, the Lakers came out and said that they have no issue with LaVar's comments.
What's next?
For Lonzo Ball and the Los Angeles Lakers (8-15), they have a few days off before a Thursday night matchup against the up-and-coming Philadelphia 76ers (13-9). The contest will air live at 8.00 pm EST on TNT.
Author's take
It was definitely the right move for the league to reinforce this rule. LaVar Ball is going to continue to say ridiculous things just so he can continue to be noticed by the likes of prominent individuals such as Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America, and Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks.
It's only a matter of time before he crosses the line, and this will not only favor the league, but it also will favor Lonzo Ball as well. It's one less distraction for him to worry about.
Guess the Lakers players!
