Big Baller Number 3 wants all the overseas smoke.
Last year around this time The Ball Brothers were on top of the world and LaVars dream of having all three of his sons play on the Lakers by 2020 was alive and actually considered a possibility. After an NBA arrival that carried unprecedented hype and media scrutiny, Lonzo will be helped immensely by the arrival of LeBron James. We know what happened with Angelo’s overseas shoplifting incident and arrest that curtailed his promising UCLA career.
Then LaMelo was taken out of high school and both of the younger Ball brothers were sent overseas to play with grown men.
LakeShow on Twitter
LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball making their brother Lonzo proud in their overseas tour. #Lakers https://t.co/qXVBQXYgjF
The JBA USA tour has also been a passage into manhood for LaMelo, who is paying dues as a 17-year-old kid playing seasoned pro competition.
During Monday’s game against Alytaus Dzukija, Ball got into it with Mindaugas Suinskas after the Lithuanian player slapped him in the back of the head, following a turnover by Melo on a shot attempt.
LAMELO BALL FIGHTS LITHUANIAN PLAYER DURING JBA GAME
Lamelo Ball fight
LaMelo — justifiably — responded by slapping fire out of Susinskas. With all due respect to Susinskas who appeared to just be offering the young buck some encouragement, he violated a cardinal rule in dealing with Black people.
A white person shouldn’t ever slap, touch or rub a Black Man’s head — especially in the heat of competition. That’s a violation in any country and Melo responded by immediately throwing those hands and letting it be known that there will be no head touching. Keep that contact below the neck and above the waist.
Can’t knock LaMelo’s hustle on this one. It has nothing to do with a bad attitude or being immature. He was caught in the heat of the moment but totally assertive and coherent in his response. The Ball saga continues. At the very least the incident, which spilled into a skirmish between the two teams, garnered Melo some street cred and put him back in the headlines in the U.S.
It’s been a while.
