Los Angeles Lakers President Jeanie Buss joined Rob Perez on ‘Buckets’ on Thursday afternoon and was asked about the controversial topic of LaVar Ball, father of projected top NBA draft prospect Lonzo Ball.
Specifically, Buss was asked about the type of influence she would be ‘okay with him having,’ if the Lakers hypothetically drafted his son with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft.
“In regards to a parent or a spouse or a family member and their influence on a player, I have been in this business over 30 years, and I think that strong family advocates for their son or daughter or brother or sister, spouse, I think that’s important to have the support of the family,” Buss told Perez. “I think that any parent is going to think their kid is the best player on your team, and so I’ve dealt with parents and family members before.
“I don’t see any issue with that, but again it’s going to be up to our front office as to who that person will be, and I will embrace whoever our new player is and give them the support to make sure that they are the best that they can be and perhaps even exceed their own expectations of what they can accomplish in the NBA.”
Speaking of the front office, president of basketball operations Magic Johnson recently told ESPN at the NBA combine that LaVar Ball would have ‘no effect’ on the draft stock of his son.
“I think what you’re drafting is the son and not the father,” Johnson told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.
Though most draft boards still have Ball going at number two to the Lakers, reports have increasingly surfaced about the Lakers interest in both Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox and Kansas small forward Josh Jackson. The Lakers started their draft workouts for their late first rounder (No. 28) this week.