When it comes to watching a family member shine in their respective sport, their families can’t help but be proud of what they have accomplished. Some families take on an active role in the development of their talents, while other families may hire a coach or what from the sidelines. When it comes to UCLA star freshman Lonzo Ball, his family has had an active role with what he has become.
The UCLA product has taken the limelight in his first season in Los Angeles after a stellar high school career put him on the map. While Lonzo has drawn some attention, the rest of the Ball family has also made quite the names for themselves also.
Lonzo’s father, LaVar, has taken that active role in his three son’s lives when it comes to sports, pushing them to become the best that they can be, while also being a strict reminder and how humble a player should be and the hard work that is required to excel.
UCLA is currently 23-3 on the season, ranked sixth in the AP top 25 and fifth in the USA Today coaches poll. Their season started off in thrilling fashion, with a road victory against the Kentucky Wildcats, which were ranked No. 1 in the country at the time.
LaVar is extremely proud of his three seasons and doesn’t shy away from patting them on the back and declaring how great he thinks they can be. In a recent interview with TMZ, LaVar boldly stated that Lonzo will be better than a certain MVP in the NBA right now:
“He’s going to be better than Steph Curry in the NBA.”
LaVar also quickly added that his son is obviously much younger than Stephen Curry (Curry 28/Ball 19), with a lot of time to grow into the potential player his father thinks he will be.
The comparisons didn’t stop there for the Ball family, as he pointed out the other false comparisons given to his son. Ball has been heavily linked to all-time great point guard Jason Kidd, with a similar up-tempo style of play, with excellent court vision and playmaking abilities.
During the interview, he also laughed off the notion of an early comparison to Kendall Marshall, a former Los Angeles Lakers player. However, LaVar believes that Ball better resembles the body and style of play of Penny Hardaway, another explosive, lengthy guard.
During his freshman season with UCLA, Lonzo is averaging 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He has flourished on the center stage, with big performances in many key games this season. The Bruins have certainly been battle tested up to this point and are a huge favorite to go far in the upcoming NCAA tournament.
NBA scouts will be heavily watching the California native for the rest of this season, attempting to thoroughly dissect his game ahead the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft. His name has been heavily linked to the Lakers, as a potential selection if the Lakers were able to keep their top-three protected pick.
