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The Sixers v.s. Lakers rivalry is heating up because of LaVar Ball

By Christopher Kline

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of second overall pick Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers, speaks to media during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of second overall pick Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers, speaks to media during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia 76ers and Lonzo Ball are quickly becoming rivals — and LaVar Ball is a major reason why.

If you were a semi-close follower of the 2017 NBA Draft, you know who Lonzo Ball is. You also know who his father is, along with all the ludicrous statements that have spewed from LaVar Ball’s mouth over the course of the pre-draft process. From a public spat with Stephen A. Smith to a multitude of irrational statements, LaVar has inadvertently turned Lonzo into the enemy on the floor — something that, while not deserved, can be directly attributed to the expectations that LaVar has set.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are the most recent entity to get drawn into the Ball-driven purgatory that is LaVar’s media cyclone. With Markelle Fultz going ahead of Lonzo with the first overall pick, there’s already b bit of discomfort between the two sides. LaVar, however, in a statement that seemed to overlook each team’s situation, stoked those flames. He said the Sixers were “at the bottom of the totem pole”.

Ball was being asked about a statement from Joel Embiid on draft night. After Ben Simmons shot out a tweet saying “crazy pills” in regards to LaVar’s interview, Embiid quoted it with a response that likely rubbed the Big Balling father the wrong way:

Embiid further emphasized his disdain for LaVar in an NSFW video on his Instagram Live feed, in which he dropped some choice words.

This all contributes to one blatantly obvious truth: the Sixers don’t like LaVar Ball.

That rivalry will inherently generate some friction between Philadelphia and Los Angeles, as the Markelle Fultz-Lonzo Ball rivalry will act as the framework for one of the league’s most intriguing two-team dynamics. Both Fultz and Ball have said that they’re better than the other, while Fultz has set his own goals inordinately high and LaVar has told the media on countless occasions that Lonzo can surpass Michael Jordan, while also venturing to claim his own superioity to M.J.

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That in and of itself makes this whole relationship odd and convoluted.

Nobody really has a solid grasp on what Ball’s expectations truly are. Magic Johnson has lauded him as the leader this young Lakers team needed and his father’s messages have built upon that by consistently portraying Ball as the next great thing in L.A. But Ball, regardless of how effective he was at the collegiate level, does have flaws that he’ll need to overcome in the NBA.

Unlike most elite point guards, he’s not big on scoring. He opens up the floor in transition, boasting generational court vision while excelling in off-ball scenarios as both a spot-up shooter and a cutter in the halfcourt. The ball doesn’t stick with Lonzo, and his quick, decisive passing is what transformed UCLA into an offensive juggernaut at the collegiate level.

He still struggles in creating his own looks, though, while his awkward shooting form could limit the extent of his upside in the NBA. When you filter out all the irrational takes on Ball’s game and where his ceiling stands, it becomes difficult to really get a good feel for where a player as unique as Ball fits into the professional puzzle. We haven’t seen a player like him before, and whether or not that’s good or bad is yet to be seen.

Regardless, the point remains the same. Lonzo hasn’t established his identity at the NBA level, yet players and fans alike already have personal vendettas against him. Embiid and Simmons probably don’t hate Lonzo on a personal level — and they may not even know him on a personal level — but the frenzy stirred up by his father has put a target on his back nonetheless.

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The entire premise of LaVar’s argument is off, as well. The Lakers were not only worse than Philadelphia last season, but haven’t made moves indicative of a team who can catch the Sixers in 2018. Brett Brown and company appear to be trending towards a potential playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Even with the superior talent level in the Western Conference, the Lakers are nowhere near the Sixers’ level of play as it currently stands.

The eldest Ball is essentially sparking a rivalry on the basis of unfounded claims. There’s a difference between Fultz saying that his goal is to be the best ever and LaVar outright claiming Lonzo’s superiority to Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry alike. Not only does Lonzo need more space to perpetrate his own stance on these issues, but LaVar has simply worked his son into a rut of sorts. He’s already on people’s bad side, and that’s never a good place to begin your basketball career.

Next: The rise and fall of the Eastern Conference

Philadelphia’s first matchup with the Lakers is sure to be a doozy once the regular season rolls around. Until then, you can either buy BBB shoes for $495 or buy stock in a Sixers team that looks primed to make significant strides come next season.