LaVar Ball has been criticized for his refusal to thank Donald Trump after the U.S. president helped Ball’s son LiAngelo avoid shoplifting charges in China. Now, the Big Baller Brand founder insists he is the one who should be getting a “thank you.”
Ball made another appearance on CNN Tuesday morning, and he was once again asked if he has learned anything that leads him to believe he should thank Trump for keeping his son out of trouble. Ball said he has learned nothing new, but he claimed he sent Trump three pairs of Big Baller Brand sneakers as a gesture of good faith and never heard back about it.
LaVar Ball says he sent President Trump three pairs of red, white and blue shoes to “show him that we’re patriotic” and “didn’t get a thank you” pic.twitter.com/26DAafuViC
— CNN (@CNN) December 5, 2017
The Ball family found its way into the headlines once again this week when LaVar decided to have his middle son, LiAngelo, quit the UCLA basketball team. LiAngelo and two other players have been suspended indefinitely since the incident in China, and Ball was critical of the NCAA for holding the three freshmen back.
LaVar Ball on pulling his son off the UCLA basketball team: “That’s one of the main reasons he went to UCLA is to play basketball. That’s his passion. And for them to prolong this and go on and on, it’s ridiculous to me.” pic.twitter.com/5p9otRVzIy
— CNN (@CNN) December 5, 2017
Everything Ball does it calculated, and most of it works. When you hear what one NBA executive said about LiAngelo Ball, you have to wonder if LaVar had LiAngelo quit the UCLA team because he knows his middle son isn’t going to play in the NBA. If nothing else, the Ball family and their Big Baller Brand has once again been thrust into the spotlight because of the decision.
The more attention Ball can call to his family, the better off their brand will be. His war of words with Trump is a great marketing scheme, though the Los Angeles Lakers already appear to be growing tired of LaVar’s antics.
