LaVar Ball is at it again. He speaking real greasy and refusing to back down to corporate conglomerates that try to dictate his moves or take food off the table.
This time hes letting the NCAA know that if they want Melo to enhance their billion dollar business with his presence in two years, then they will have to learn how to deal with the Big Baller Brand being a permanent money-making presence in his life.
LaMelo is putting out his signature sneaker Melo Ball 1s, and it will be a cold day in Hades before they tell LaVar how to execute his family business.
Speaking to reporters Saturday, the Ball family shot-caller said the NCAA isn’t “going to tell me s–t” after the release of LaMelo Ball’s signature sneaker raised concerns about his son’s eventual collegiate eligibility.
Glenn Wong on Twitter
16-year-old LaMelo Ball likely to lose NCAA eligibility with release of his signature shoe, the MB1. https://t.co/mQiBTDzrFp
“He’s going to have a shoe,” LaVar said, per ESPN.com’s Baxter Holmes. “NCAA ain’t going to tell me s–t. Because they’re not my boss. That’s what they do, but they’re not going to be like, ‘Oh, LaVar, you can’t bring that shoe out until we tell you.’ What? Something that I’m doing for my family? That’s mine? I’m not under no umbrella.”
NBA World on Twitter
LaVar Ball brushes off LaMelo eligibility concerns due to MB1 shoe, says NCAA ‘not my boss’ https://t.co/lmqWlAXcFF
LaVar says that if LaMelo is ruled ineligible following the release of his Big Baller Brand MB1 shoe, the Ball family is set to accelerate the young gunner’s pro plan and start preparing for the NBA Draft.
“We’ll sit out a year or two,” LaVar said, per Holmes. “Just get stronger and faster, and then go into [NBA training] camp as a free agent. He already got the narrativehe can play, he can play. You see what he’s doing at 15 and 16. Don’t think that by the time he gets 17, 18 that he ain’t going to be 10 times better than what he is now.”
According to ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell, the NCAA issued a statement on Thursday explaining how LaMelo’s shoe could affect his eligibility.
“Generally speaking, a college athlete or prospect paid for use of their athletics reputation or ability risks their future eligibility in that sport,” spokeswoman Emily James said. “This includes profiting from the sale of items bearing the young person’s name. NCAA rules, however, do allow prospects to promote commercial products prior to enrollment, provided it is not for pay.”
LaMelo is still carving out his legend as a Chino Hills high school hoopster and is the 21st-ranked recruit in the class of 2019, according to Scout.com. For now, he doesn’t sound particularly bothered by questions surrounding his future in Westwood.
“I’ve still got two years left, so I’ll worry about that when it gets there,” he said, per Holmes.
One thing we do know is that LaVar always has a plan and ruling Melo ineligible sets up a great lawsuit and more publicity and more marketing and more bucking the system, and rewriting the way big business in sports is played, which is what LaVar gets his greatest joy from. We have to love him for that.
