Via BBB/Twitter
The Balls are everywhere. Pause. Resume. If you check First Take, you see Lavar Ball. If you check off-brand First Take (Undisputed), you see Lavar Ball. If you check Youtube, you'll see LaMelo highlights left and right. If you check Twitter, chances are one of the Ball family members is trending. Talent pushed by an ambitious parent, has the world infatuated with this LA family. Give or take a word from that past sentence and it fits the description of another family the entire world knows. To spell it out for you, the Ball family is the NBA's Kardashians.*roll credits*.
LaVar Ball/Kris Jenner
(MARK J. TERRILL/AP)
"You're doing amazing sweeting", is what I imagine LaVar screams when he watches his sons play. Much like Kris Jenner, LaVar ultimately just wants the best for his sons. LaVar originally said the right to his family's brand would cost $1 billion, after being denied by all major brands Lavar has since bumped the asking price to $3 billion. Lonzo didn't get the shoe deal he wanted, so LaVar made Lonzo his own shoe. Lonzo didn't make it past the Sweet-16, isn't the projected #1 pick, and shoots like Tory Lanez; yet everyone knows his name, and it's secret why. LaVar Ball is doing everything, from TV appearances to Twitter beef, to get the family's brand out there. That brand has a current market value of $82 million and is $1.8 million in yearly revenue. Kris Jenner would be proud.
Lonzo Ball/Kim Kardashian
(B/R Mag)
Both Lonzo Ball and Kim Kardashian are the family's talent that made the world watch. Again. And again. Each in their own way. Much like Kim, Lonzo is laying the path for his siblings to be successful. His once-in-a-generation talent had the world talking the moment UCLA was across his chest. He's a projected top-3 pick, and is credited with making UCLA relevant again. However, parallel to Kim, Lonzo has his share of criticisms. De'Aaron Fox ran laps around him, his shot form is cringe-worthy, and he has JV quarterback arms. None of that matters though when every NBA team would take him in a heartbeat. Despite their negatives, there's not many better than Lonzo or Kim.
LaMelo Ball/Kylie Jenner
Via Louis Lopez
Kylie Jenner drops a lip kit and the world stops. LaMelo Ball drops 92 points and the world stops. LaMelo and Kylie are the apparent future of both families. LaMelo is 6 "3", 15 years-old, and already committed to UCLA, while Kylie Jenner is a 19 year-old millionaire with her own show coming soon. LaMelo has the highest upside in the entire family, but similar to Kylie he too has his criticisms. Critics claim Kylie has fake lips and a fake body. And she dated Tyga. LaMelo critics state his constant cherrypicking and his questionable shot selection. Both will be household names for years to come.
Saved the last for last.
LiAngelo Ball/ Kourtney Kardashian
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
LiAngelo Ball has the most natural shooting form, dropped 72 points, and averaged 36 points last season. Kourtney Kardashian has the most natural body, has her own health and home decor business, and has no scandals. Both LiAngelo and Kourtney are highly successful and truly hard workers. Both LiAngelo and Kourtney are boring and forgettable, in comparison to their siblings. Kim's Instagram followers almost double Kourtney's, while LaMelo's Instagram followers almost double his brothers. LiAngelo and Kourtney have great accomplishments, but those accomplishments are always overlooked due to the rest of the family.
Keeping Up With The Balls coming to a screen near you.