LaMelo Ball’s breakout season with the Illawarra Hawks came as a surprise, as is the nature of a breakout year. With Ball, though, so much uncertainty surrounded his actual talent from a mixture of his father’s bombastic claims and his own lack of tape after bouncing around between Lithuania and JBA.
But on his own for the first time in his playing career, Ball flourished. And at least some front offices think the “on his own” part was the key.
From Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle:
“Some NBA front offices trace that transformation to the absence of Ball’s loquacious father, LaVar, who made only three trips to Australia and didn’t interact with the Hawks’ coaching staff.”
In just 12 games, Ball’s averages of 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game helped elevate his profile substantially. Those dozen games served as a launching pad to take him from a late first-round prospect to a top-three prospect.
Considering how Lonzo’s career has evolved in the NBA as LaVar has continued to step away, there is some credence to the notion that he burdens his sons. This season, LaVar was largely quiet about Lonzo’s career and it’s likely not a coincidence.
LaVar has claimed in the past that his job is to get his sons to the NBA and, after that, the ball is in their court (pun intended). He has taken that approach for most of Lonzo’s time in the NBA over the last year-plus. If he takes the same approach with LaMelo, it may ease some concerns for franchises moving forward.
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