From even before the moment Lonzo Ball stepped onto an NBA court, he had a proverbial target on his back. Despite being a relatively quiet, mild-mannered player, Ball was thrust into the spotlight due to the brashness of his father, LaVar.
Lonzo’s first game in the league was perhaps the best example with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley seemingly making it a personal battle between himself and the Laker guard. He wasn’t the only one to single out Ball his rookie season. During his podcast interview with Adrian Wojnarowski, Ball noted how his father’s words and actions were often unfairly associated with his own.
“Everybody always says, when they meet me and get to know who I am, like ‘We didn’t think he was like this’ just because everything my dad does in the media. At the end of the day, I always tell people I’m my own person. Don’t group me with anybody. Whatever you see from me is what you get. When people get to know me, it’s always fine. But definitely, just coming into the league, everybody was trying to come at me for sure.”
It’s a common theme for Ball, who has established himself as a locker room favorite. Many associate his father’s personality with him and, as a result, have hostility toward him. Particularly in recent weeks and months, Ball has come into his own separated himself from his father’s shadow.
Over the summer, Ball has appeared on podcasts with Josh Hart and Wojnarowski and taken part in a PUBG competition with fellow NBA players, Those are steps out of his comfort zone that he hadn’t taken in his past but also ventures that further show his personality and let fans connect with him further.
