LaVar Ball has made headlines since his three sons Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo captured the basketball world. Lonzo was the No. 2 overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the most recent NBA Draft.
Aside from being the leader and founder of the Big Baller Brand, he is also the coach of the Big Baller Brand AAU basketball team that LaMelo plays on.
The AAU circuit is important for players because numerous college coaches are on hand to scout future prospects. With the growing popularity of the circuit there has also been a massive upheave in coverage in sports media.
Along with his outlandish comments in recent months about himself and his sons, LaVar has now made his presence known in the AAU world. Last week during a game in which Big Baller Brand was ahead, he abruptly pulled his team off the court resulting in a forfeit after receiving a technical foul for disagreeing with a call.
According to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports LaVar had another verbal sparring match Friday at the Adidas Summer Championships in Las Vegas. This time it was directed at the female referee who was helping call the game, as he threatened to pull his team off the court once again if she continued to referee the game:
“She got a vendetta, because she’s a woman who’s trying to act – I get that she’s trying to break into the refereeing thing. But just giving techs and calling fouls, that’s no way to do it. I know what she’s trying to say: “I gave him a tech. I’m strong.” That ain’t got nothing to do with it. Just call the game. If you’re going to be qualified, you better be in shape, and you better know the game. And she’s bad on both of them. She not in shape. She not calling the game right. And she don’t understand. So, now she’s trying to make a name for herself. So, she walking around like, “You know I’m the only woman in here.” Yeah, we get it. I don’t care if you’re a woman or a man or whatever. Just be good at what you do. Don’t try to step in the lane – she need to stay in her lane, because ain’t ready for this. Coach the little kids first and then come up. Because she ain’t did enough. She ain’t got enough on her résumé. I can tell.”
After talking with the other officials and the opposing head coach the game resumed but the female referee was replaced by a male counterpart.
This is not the first altercation LaVar has had with a female, as he refused to speak to Kristine Leahy of Fox Sports 1 when appearing on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd.