Lavar pulls son out of UCLA.

[bcla]

Well donkey is a euphemism for what he really is. Yeah lose your eligibility for about 500 pairs of sneakers sold. Not really a solid business plan.

Nothing this idiot does is performance art. In the long run his kids will suffer, not many teams want that kind of baggage

At this point there's nothing that can undo that mistake. I think he's a big screwup, but in a way there's a method to his madness. He's getting way more publicity without needing a marketing budget.

Given all the stuff that's happened already, pulling up and trying to get on an overseas club is probably their best option since NCAA basketball isn't going to happen.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Donkey? He looks more like Shrek.

LaMelo was already looking at loss of NCAA eligibility for having his own signature shoe from the family brand.

I don’t like the guy, but this makes sense as a business decision. I also believe that a lot of what he does is some sort of performance art.

Yeah, he had already screwed up LaMelo's eligibility, so there was really nothing to lose at this point. To say it makes business sense is extremely generous, IMO. the smarter business discussion would have been to keep LaMelo eligible to build his brand in the US. IMO, there was nothing smart about ruining his eligibility. Yes, European players get drafted all the time. Those are usually younger Europeans that haven't had much US exposure. Failing in the US/NCAA system definitely isn't a positive, regardless of where you play a few years. LiAngelo & LaMelo are American players that had to go to Europe or China to play. That's a big difference. This may be an okay move for LiAngelo, but he has really hurt LaMelo with his greed & stubbornness. His moves have done Longo & LaMelo no favors. Bottom line he's a horrible parent.

 

[bcla]

Yeah, he had already screwed up LaMelo's eligibility, so there was really nothing to lose at this point. To say it makes business sense is extremely generous, IMO. the smarter business discussion would have been to keep LaMelo eligible to build his brand in the US. IMO, there was nothing smart about ruining his eligibility. Yes, European players get drafted all the time. Those are usually younger Europeans that haven't had much US exposure. Failing in the US/NCAA system definitely isn't a positive, regardless of where you play a few years. LiAngelo & LaMelo are American players that had to go to Europe or China to play. That's a big difference. This may be an okay move for LiAngelo, but he has really hurt LaMelo with his greed & stubbornness. His moves have done Longo & LaMelo no favors. Bottom line he's a horrible parent.

Well yeah he's made a lot of mistakes, but at this point he's not going to put the genie back in the bottle. I'm just saying this may be the best business decision at this point. The other fallback is that Lonzo is making #2 draft pick money and still seems to be supporting his family.

LiAngelo was never really a serious NBA prospect. However, LiAngelo was being heavily watched. Not necessarily a can't miss NBA player, but certainly one that every team was looking at even in HS. Certainly some teams might be thinking about the sideshow nature of dad, but they'll be looking at the talent more than anything else.

There's certainly something to be said for a certain feeling of schadenfreude for the Ball kids based on the utter reprehensibility of dad. Still - given all the crap that dad has foisted and the bad decision that LiAngelo made in China, this may be the best decision they can come up with now.

 

[AustinTink]

And at least with my alma mater, there's this huge disconnect between the sports team nickname and the official name of the school, which complicates marketing efforts. I've heard stories of going to a bowl game and other people were literally asking "where is Cal?" The campus trademark office specifically doesn't want any mixing of the nickname with the official name. The oddest thing I remember was when I was checking out a national college BB message board where there was a basketball player being recruited and where it was down to Michigan, UVa, and Cal. One particular comment (which received lots of responses) was a comparison about the academic reputations of the three schools. That comment (from the best of my memory) was "Well - it's not like Cal is in the academic class of UCLA or UC Berkeley."

That's so true about Cal. I don't follow college sports and I didn't know Cal was Berkeley until we toured the school with my son. He got in, by the way.

 

[bcla]

That's so true about Cal. I don't follow college sports and I didn't know Cal was Berkeley until we toured the school with my son. He got in, by the way.

I found the latest iteration of the trademark guidelines. Basically they don't want "Cal" and "Berkeley" used at the same time. And no mixing of "Berkeley" with any anything related to the athletic department or athletic nicknames.

https://bcbp.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/TrademarkGuidelinesAndRequirements0102207.pdf

The following general provisions pertain to persons and organizations affiliated with the campus as well as to outside entities and agencies:

a) The campus should not be referred to as "Cal Berkeley." Acceptable nominations are "UC Berkeley," University of California Berkeley," "Berkeley," "Cal," or "California." All variations of the University's name are trademarks of the University of California Berkeley, and property of the UC Regents.

b) It is unacceptable to combine "Berkeley" with "Bears," "Golden Bears," "Athletics," or any athletic team designation (i.e., "Berkeley Football"). The athletic teams should only be referred to as "California Golden Bears," "Cal Bears," or "University of California Golden Bears". The following trademarks may also be used when referring to the University of California programs and/or the campus: "Golden Bears" (the team name), "Go Bears!," "Bear Territory," or "This is Bear Territory." The preceding names and phrases are trademarks of the University of California Berkeley, and property of the UC Regents.

c) "University of California" may not be used without specifically indicating the Berkeley Campus (a reference to the Golden Bears is sufficient to indicate the Berkeley Campus). Examples of correct uses include: "University of California Golden Bears" or "University of California, Berkeley".​

 

[AustinTink]

I found the latest iteration of the trademark guidelines. Basically they don't want "Cal" and "Berkeley" used at the same time. And no mixing of "Berkeley" with any anything related to the athletic department or athletic nicknames.

https://bcbp.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/TrademarkGuidelinesAndRequirements0102207.pdf

The following general provisions pertain to persons and organizations affiliated with the campus as well as to outside entities and agencies:

a) The campus should not be referred to as "Cal Berkeley." Acceptable nominations are "UC Berkeley," University of California Berkeley," "Berkeley," "Cal," or "California." All variations of the University's name are trademarks of the University of California Berkeley, and property of the UC Regents.

b) It is unacceptable to combine "Berkeley" with "Bears," "Golden Bears," "Athletics," or any athletic team designation (i.e., "Berkeley Football"). The athletic teams should only be referred to as "California Golden Bears," "Cal Bears," or "University of California Golden Bears". The following trademarks may also be used when referring to the University of California programs and/or the campus: "Golden Bears" (the team name), "Go Bears!," "Bear Territory," or "This is Bear Territory." The preceding names and phrases are trademarks of the University of California Berkeley, and property of the UC Regents.

c) "University of California" may not be used without specifically indicating the Berkeley Campus (a reference to the Golden Bears is sufficient to indicate the Berkeley Campus). Examples of correct uses include: "University of California Golden Bears" or "University of California, Berkeley".​

That clears it up. Sadly, my son chose another school. But, I still wear my Cal sweatshirt.

 

[VandVsmama]

Lavar Ball has his priorities kind of messed up when it comes to his kids. There is so much more to life than having your kids play basketball. So what happens when his idiot son (yes, his son IS an idiot for stealing, and despite what he says, it IS a big deal and it is a crime) gets injured at some point and can't play basketball anymore?

What are you going to do then?

Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[bcla]

Lavar Ball has his priorities kind of messed up when it comes to his kids. There is so much more to life than having your kids play basketball. So what happens when his idiot son (yes, his son IS an idiot for stealing, and despite what he says, it IS a big deal and it is a crime) gets injured at some point and can't play basketball anymore?

What are you going to do then?

Stupid is as stupid does.

This is the one kid who had pretty much no shot at playing in the NBA. If anything was going to happen, he was going to be a hanger-on with his brothers.

LaMelo has a legitimate shot at making the NBA, but it's not a can't miss proposition. However, at this point I'd think he would have a decent chance of a long career playing professional basketball somewhere.

Again - I don't like LaVar Ball. I think he's all about promoting himself. However, what's happening with his kids isn't really all that much different than kids who give up regular school to be actors or musicians. Having followed the recruitment of international athletes, going into the European style club system is considered pretty normal there for someone with professional potential. We might rail on this because it seems counterproductive for most people to drop out or give up going to a well-respected school like UCLA. But there are lots of successful people who did that, and it just became a footnote in their bios. Of course that's a risk one is taking.

 

[bcla]

Signed with a club in Lithuania.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ball-serious-talks-lithuanian-basketball-club

Neither is likely to play for their top team right away.

 

[JaxDad]

Signed with a club in Lithuania.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ball-serious-talks-lithuanian-basketball-club

Neither is likely to play for their top team right away.

With all due respect to any Lithuanians on the board, I personally would rather have a scholarship and play at UCLA than schlep around on a financially strapped Baltic League team.

 

[bcla]

With all due respect to any Lithuanians on the board, I personally would rather have a scholarship and play at UCLA than schlep around on a financially strapped Baltic League team.

LiAngelo was suspended, and LaMelo was likely going to be ruled ineligible. There was no way to undo that.

 

[JaxDad]

LiAngelo was suspended, and LaMelo was likely going to be ruled ineligible. There was no way to undo that.

I didn't realize the youngest would be ineligible. I think the father should have continued to work with UCLA on the suspension of LiAngelo. College athletes do stupid stuff sometimes and eventually live to see another game. LiAngelo made the huge mistake of doing his stupid stuff on the world stage. If he had shoplifted the same items down the street in Beverly Hills, I'm guessing he would have had a more definitive punishment, rather than the limbo of an indefinite suspension. It is what it is though, and I wish the kids well. The father maybe not so much...

 

[bcla]

I didn't realize the youngest would be ineligible. I think the father should have continued to work with UCLA on the suspension of LiAngelo. College athletes do stupid stuff sometimes and eventually live to see another game. LiAngelo made the huge mistake of doing his stupid stuff on the world stage. If he had shoplifted the same items down the street in Beverly Hills, I'm guessing he would have had a more definitive punishment, rather than the limbo of an indefinite suspension. It is what it is though, and I wish the kids well. The father maybe not so much...

LiAngelo might have been able to play the next season, but possibly they drop him. Pac-12 teams are supposed to guarantee 4-year scholarships, but this was clearly a for cause situation if they didn’t renew.

LaMelo had a signature BBB shoe. With a de facto endorsement deal, he was never going to be allowed to play.

 

[bcla]

They apparently are anticipating their arrival.

https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/940697554299375617?s=17

Welcome to Lithuania.
Welcome to Lithuania.
Welcome to Lithuania.
The land of the beautiful bas-ket-ball!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

They apparently are anticipating their arrival.

https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/940697554299375617?s=17

Welcome to Lithuania.
Welcome to Lithuania.
Welcome to Lithuania.
The land of the beautiful bas-ket-ball!

Apparently, they get really excited, when the circus comes to town. I bet Lonzo is equally excited to have the circus leave California.

 

[Marchand63]

Apparently, they get really excited, when the circus comes to town. I bet Lonzo is equally excited to have the circus leave California.

Well Lonzo is kinda turning into a dud - not the miraculous second coming of the basketball gods.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Well Lonzo is kinda turning into a dud - not the miraculous second coming of the basketball gods.

Surprise, surprise. I follow college basketball closely. It's all about potential now. Lonzo got "schooled" by some teams in college. Proven talent no longer matters. It's all about hype coming out of high school now. The NBA wants young players that have "potential". I cringe every time I hear our team is recruiting a one & done. It's no mystery why the commissioner of the NBA wants to get rid of that rule. Teams bet on the wrong horse way too often.

 

[bcla]

Apparently, they get really excited, when the circus comes to town. I bet Lonzo is equally excited to have the circus leave California.

The guy was singing a modified version of a real song. The original is “land of the beautiful la-a-dys”. The song is a bit bizarre, but it’s risque without any foul language.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

They apparently are anticipating their arrival.

I guess so. We just shipped 250 of these to Vilnius.

 

[SteveH]

It's players like this family, and many others like them that have totally soured me on professional basketball, I couldn't even tell you when the last time i watched a game. With all that happened this year with the college basketball deals you think the NBA would want to clean up it's image. But it seems totally fine with it, which is fine I have no reason to start watching.