Lavar Ball: podcast appearances and interviews

LaVar Christopher Ball, born October 23, 1967, is an American businessman known for his role as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Big Baller Brand, a sports apparel company. He is also the founder of the now defunct Junior Basketball Association. Ball is the father of professional basketball players Lonzo and LaMelo Ball, the latter currently active with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and musician LiAngelo Ball, who is signed with Def Jam as a hip hop recording artist. Throughout his athletic career, Ball played basketball at Canoga Park High School and continued at the collegiate level for West Los Angeles College, Washington State, and Cal State Los Angeles. He also played football briefly at Long Beach City College and had a short professional stint as a tight end with the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football. Ball was a practice squad member for the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers in 1995 but did not appear in an official National Football League game. In 2017, he gained national attention through a series of bold statements, including comparisons of his son Lonzo to Stephen Curry and claims that he could beat Michael Jordan one-on-one. His public remarks and media appearances have often sparked both praise and criticism, and he has been outspoken about his opinions on his sons' teams, notably the Los Angeles Lakers, and on issues related to his family, including a public exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump following LiAngelo's arrest in China.