ESPN First Take
Yesterday morning LaVar Ball caused a bit of controversy when he made what many deemed an inappropriate remark directed at host Molly Qerim.
During the Show Qerim, in an attempt to change the subject said, “LaVar, can I switch gears with you because I have a question here.”
“You can switch gears with me anytime,” LaVar responded.
“Let’s stay focused here,” Qerim, who happens to be married to ESPN personality Jalen Rose, fired back at LaVar while her two co-hosts, Stephen A Smith and Max Kellerman, looked shocked at what had transpired.
LaVar shooting his shot at Molly Qerim during First Take interview? Jalen Rose gonna bust him up lol pic.twitter.com/HeIB9CFIxH
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 17, 2019
Ball was immediately called out on Twitter by former ESPNers Jemele Hill and Jeff Goodman
Kudos to Molly Querim for the professional way she handled LaVar Ball after his inappropriate comment. Maybe ESPN will have finally learned its lesson about putting him on TV.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 17, 2019
I apologize to everyone for getting him on TV years ago. Never ever thought it would get to the point it did (and has) or would never have done so.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 17, 2019
ESPN would later release a statement condemning LaVar’s remark towards Qerim.
“LaVar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that.”
LaVar’s reps have issued a statement to deny that Ball was being sexual during his exchange with Qerim.
(via TMZ Sports
”
Now, LaVar’s rep, Denise White, is issuing a statement from the BBB camp … saying, “[LaVar] was asked if he wanted to switch gears, in his mind switching gears was ‘changing the subject anytime’ and he said, ‘yes, you can switch gears with me anytime.’ At NO time was that intended or meant to be sexual in nature.”
Today, TMZ caught up with Qerim and while she doesn’t know if ESPN should ban LaVar Ball from appearing on the show again she does say her husband Jalen Rose would have wanted LaVar to publicly apologize to her.
Via TMZ Sports
“ESPN was really supportive,” Qerim told us Tuesday morning in NYC … “All the executives had my back. Much appreciated.”
The network quickly condemned Ball’s comments to Qerim on Monday as “inappropriate” — when he told her, “You can switch gears with me anytime.”
We asked Molly if LaVar (or anyone in the Ball family) had reached out to apologize — and she told us, “I haven’t heard from anybody, but to be honest with you I shut my phone off after work.”
As for her how famous NBA star husband, Jalen Rose, handled the situation — Molly says, “I think Jalen would have just liked if [LaVar] would have apologized to me publicly.”