Magic Johnson thinks LaVar Ball is a lot like Kris Jenner, and he means that in a good way.
In an appearance on ESPN Radio in L.A.’s “Afternoons with Marcellus and Kelvin” show Thursday, Johnson said he has no issue with the outlandish remarks Ball has made about his son Lonzo. The best comparison Magic could think of for LaVar is Kris Jenner.
“The Kardashians, we didn’t say that the mom was bad. She made them a lot of money, right?” Johnson said with a laugh. “She’s bragged on her daughters and I think it’s the same here. He’s just saying, ‘Hey my son is great.’ There’s nothing bad with that.”
You could make the argument that it was actually Kim Kardashian who made the Kardashian family more famous in — how do we say this — other ways, but the point Johnson was making is that there’s nothing wrong with boasting about your own children. Magic also reiterated that LaVar’s big personality is not a deterrent for the Lakers.
“We’re not looking at LaVar being a problem if we’re blessed to have an opportunity to draft Lonzo,” he said. “We don’t know at this time whether we’re gonna do that or not, but I will say you have to give the father a lot of credit for being in not just Lonzo’s life, but the other two sons as well. I’m happy that a father goes around and says great things about his son.”
Of course, LaVar has done a lot more than just brag about his sons. He recently got into it with FS1’s Kristine Leahy and is now selling shirts to profit off of the confrontation. Ball also made some ignorant comments about Kyrie Irving last week and has done plenty of bragging about himself, once saying he could dominate Michael Jordan in a game of 1-on-1.
The bottom line is this: If the Lakers believe Lonzo Ball is a franchise player, they can deal with his father. You don’t pass up on a talent like that just because a member of his family is a blowhard.
