Lavar and the Ball Family’s Rise to Fame

Over the past year, LaVar Ball has become a household name in American sports. Through his outlandish statements, he has become the most famous father in the sports world. This newfound fame has trickled down to his son Lonzo Ball, who has made headlines without playing a minute in the NBA yet, and his younger brothers LaMelo Ball and LiAngelo Ball, who are in high school and college respectively. The Ball family even has a reality show on Facebook called “Ball in the Family.” Without LaVar’s presence in the media, the Ball family brand would not have become this prominent.

To have a big brand, an athlete must excel in the sport but also have a charismatic personality. San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard may be widely regarded by fans as one of the elite players in the league; however, his quiet demeanor on and off the court hasn’t helped him grow his brand. Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin, on the other hand, has many commercial deals because of his high-flying dunks and marketability, even if he isn’t as talented as Leonard on the court.

LaVar’s antics have proven to be successful in growing his company. He has said that he could beat Michael Jordan one-on-one. He has claimed that Lonzo is better than two-time league MVP, Stephen Curry. He came out with a $500 shoe for Lonzo, the ZO2, saying that the shoes are only meant for “big ballers.” Every time LaVar does something controversial, Big Baller Brand gets more attention. The NBA media loves controversy, such as with the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook feud last season after Durant left Oklahoma City, and recently with the Kyrie-LeBron drama. LaVar is more than a troll; he is a shrewd businessman. When he goes on First Take on ESPN, he knows that he is getting free advertisement. The shouting matches between him and host Stephen A. Smith bring attention and press which lead to more people finding out about Big Baller Brand.

"A brand is one of the biggest things you can have," LaVar said in an interview with USA Today. "It's a hard thing to attain, so nobody wants to attain it and not too many people think that far ahead.” It seems like LaVar’s marketing has gone according to plan so far. The Lakers are going to be on national TV a lot this year, and season tickets have sold out already. Lonzo Ball may be the most hyped rookie since Lebron James in 2003.

Many argue that Lonzo should speak for himself, but he is usually blunt and nonchalant on and off the court, so LaVar is taking matters into his own hands. Without LaVar’s bold statements, Lonzo would be just be another promising young rookie. Lonzo was great in college, but his numbers of 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game alone would not have brought on anywhere near the amount of attention he has garnered. LaVar may be obnoxious, but it is hard to fault a man for trying to find success for his family.