As Lonzo Ball’s brief NBA career has proven, the Ball brothers come with the added baggage of father LaVar Ball. When things are going well, LaVar fades into the background and has typically been a non-factor. But when things aren’t going well or, Lonzo’s case, when his sons are included in trade talks, he can go scorched Earth on the team, the franchise and teammates.
Given how well LaMelo has adjusted to life in Australia and in the National Basketball League, it should not come as much of a surprise, then, that LaVar has been a non-factor so far with the Illawarra Hawks.
During a recent profile from DraftExpress on LaMelo, Jonathan Givony revealed LaVar’s involvement, or lack thereof, with the Hawks.
NBA teams were curious how involved LaVar remains in LaMelo’s basketball development process in the NBL. LaVar made a brief cameo in Illawarra upon his son’s arrival, but he didn’t request to come to practice, according to Illawarra staff members, and he has had minimal contact with the team.
The added benefit Illawarra will have with regards to LaVar is that they’re across the globe. The noise LaVar can create by appearing on Fox Sport 1’s lineup of shows won’t carry anywhere near the same weight in Australia as it would if LaMelo was playing stateside.
As previously noted as well, LaMelo is adjusting well and things are going smoothly for Ball so far in Australia and, as we’ve seen in the past, LaVar will slide into the background in those instances.
But the moment things go awry, expect LaVar to jump back onto center stage.
