The Lakers Reportedly Met With LaVar Ball And Asked Him To ‘Tone Down’ Public Criticism Of Luke Walton

ESPN


It seems like the Lakers have had enough of LaVar Ball. For the past few weeks, the elder Ball has been openly critical of Lakers head coach Luke Walton in the media.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers brass has met with LaVar Ball to ask him to tone down this criticism of Walton.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office recently had a meeting with LaVar Ball, the outspoken father of rookie point guard Lonzo Ball, asking him to tone down some of his public criticisms of head coach Luke Walton and help create a more positive atmosphere around his son, sources told ESPN.

The meeting, which took place within the past few weeks, was called by Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka.

LaVar Ball confirmed the meeting took place, telling ESPN, “It was the best thing, man. Everybody’s going to try to make it an ego thing, like I’m trying to tell them what to do or they’re trying to tell me to tone it down. It’s not about that. It’s about coming together and to get a solution to this problem.

Despite the meeting, Ball fired some shots at the Lakers coach over the weekend when he claimed he could do a better a coaching job than Walton.

“Here’s what everybody is saying: The kids are young. OK, I want the young kids. You give me a bunch of young pros, and my record would be better than this on the fact that I’m 50-something years old and I know the game. But if you got a guy who’s 38, maybe he’s not experienced enough. Maybe stop talking about the players are so young, and maybe it’s the coaching experience that’s young. Yeah, nobody wants to say that but I say it because I’m 50 years old and I know the game. You give me those guys and I guarantee you they’ll be in a much better position than this, because you’re not playing the guys or you’re not getting the best out of a lot of people.”

It’s only a matter of time until the Lakers ban LaVar Ball from going to Lakers games in L.A.

Jorge Alonso BroBible avatar
Brobible sports editor. Jorge is a Miami native and lifelong Heat fan. He has been covering the NBA, MLB and NFL professionally for almost 10 years, specializing in digital media.