The Sixer Sense
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LaVar Ball is trolling us all

By Jason Blevins

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, looks on 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 Lonzo Ball, looks on 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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LaVar Ball is building a Kadashianesque brand, and he is using the Philadelphia 76ers in the process.

https://twitter.com/LeadingSports_/status/883418666397646849

Something to know about Los Angeles: everybody has a plan. Everybody is working an angle. LaVar Ball has his sights on building a Big Baller Brand empire. Joel Embiid is one of the most notable NBA figures on social media and LaVar has pounced. Sensing opportunity, he is enjoying a sparring match and drumming up attention.

Related Story: LaVar Ball is stoking the Sixers/Lakers rivalry

And it is absolutely working folks. The Thomas and Mack Center was jam packed with Lakers fans to see Lonzo Ball’s summer league debut.

But why? This cannot all be about Lonzo? This kind of hype is borderline unfair to put on a rookie with a questionable jumper. No folks, this is much more about the Ball family as a whole.

LaVar is playing the Kris Jenner game. She has built an empire off of the exploits of her children to great effect in Los Angeles. LaVar has seen the playbook and is following it to a T. Fortunately for him, his son has an actual talent to exploit that will give him national attention.

And he is attacking this from all angles, from ESPN, to TMZ to World Wrestling Entertainment?

The Reality Playbook

I would argue that aside from Kris Jenner, LaVar is also following the Donald Trump playbook. Get famous by unabashedly promoting yourself and your family. Watch your brand build and ignore the fact that at least as many people hate you as love you.

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See we can make fun of the overpriced sneakers, the clownish antics of this man. But something funny happens when you want to hate a guy like this so much. You wind up kind of liking him. Deep down you think, this is a goofy dad who doesn’t take himself nearly as seriously as he’d like us to believe.

Yes folks, he is absolutely trolling you, he is trolling us all. But as long as we are discussing him, for good or ill, he wins.

"“I don’t care what you say about me, as long as you say something about me, and as long as you spell my name right.” John McCabe George M. Cohan (1973)"

So before you start thinking Joel Embiid is the victim in this story, let’s just say the Philadelphia 76ers center may have started it.

Next: Ranking the Sixers' rookies by importance

Embiid is not the victim here, But Lonzo, LaMelo and LiAngelo may be…