The Chicago Bulls seem pretty happy with Lonzo Ball so far.
He’s helped to keep the Bulls undefeated in the preseason. It’s been all about basketball with no issues related to Lonzo’s famous and outspoken father LaVar Ball. Last week, a story broke from long-time Bulls analyst Sam Smith who suggested Ball’s former team, the New Orleans Pelicans threatened to shut out any publication that wrote a story on any of LaVar’s comments. The Athletic’s Will Guillory, who covered the Pelicans during Ball’s time with the organization was asked to verify Smith’s assertions.
Guillory responded to the notion on Twitter. Calling it the sad aspect of covering Lonzo.
Take a look:
This is the saddest part about covering Lonzo Ball.
He’s a good, young player who plays a unique style and has improved his game every year he’s been in the league.
But we never get to talk about any of that bc of nonsense like this.
I’m done tweeting about Lonzo for the day bc I don’t need ZoAnon creeping back into my mentions.
Guillory denies he was ever threatened, but it is clear there was some since of nervousness about the sort of calamity LaVar could create–at least back then. However, there is reason to believe this issue is no longer a factor in Lonzo’s career.
Lonzo Ball Appears to Have Taken Steps to Separate Himself From the Stigma Associated With LaVar Ball
In an interview from 2020 with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Ball made it clear he and his father had fallen out, but the two are now “squared away.” However, it would appear LaVar won’t be as loud of a presence in his son’s life–at least not publicly.
Ball told Andrews:
We had a couple rumblings here and there, but everything got squared away. When your son gets older, they’re going to butt heads with their dad, and that’s what I did for about a year and a half. But everything is cool now. My dad put me in a position where I am comfortable making my own decisions now. I think coming into the league, he was very controlling of everything that was going on. But that was an 18-, 19-year-old kid. But now I am 22 years old with my own family. Seeing how he watched over me and stuff — it was time for him to finally let go of everything and watch me be my own man.
In watching Ball’s maturation, he seems to be his own man. Therefore, an organization taking the measures to penalize a publication for covering LaVar’s comments wouldn’t be necessary. Lonzo seems to have handled that situation with his father, man to man.
Lonzo Ball Has Been As Advertised With the Bulls
Through three preseason games, Ball has been fantastic as the team’s new starting point guard. Ball and most of his teammates struggled shooting the basketball on Sunday night against the Cavs, but defense and a late surge by the reserves helped keep Chicago undefeated in the exhibition games.
Ball is shooting just under 53% from three-point range while averaging 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 steals per game with only 1.3 turnovers per contests. More than the numbers, his energy and pace bring an element of activity and excitement the team was missing last season.
That’s the kind of presence the Bulls were hoping to get from Ball when they acquired him in a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
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‘Saddest Part About Covering Lonzo Ball’ Revealed by NBA Writer