You can love LaVar Ball or hate him. But at this point, his impact on basketball is undeniable.
Exhibit A: The outspoken father of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball now has an entire media policy dedicated to him at Staples Center — and arena employees are dubbing it the “LaVar Ball Rule,” according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.
Actually, the rule is an existing policy Staples Center now is choosing to enforce. Going forward, media members won’t be allowed into an area behind the visitors’ basket designated for guests of players, which includes family and friends. Furthermore, media now are prohibited from interviewing anyone in that area or in the tunnel leading to the locker rooms, and if they’re spotted in that area, they’ll be asked to leave.
This basically means no more postgame interviews with LaVar, who has spoken to reporters several times after Lakers home games and recently blasted L.A.’s coaching staff during an interview with a Bleacher Report reporter in that setting.
The Lakers insist their enforcement of the policy is being done in the best interest of the players and their family and friends.
“There has been more media presence in that area than before,” a team spokesman told Haynes. “That section is strictly for family and guests of players. It’s a privacy concern.”
Of course, this doesn’t mean the Big Baller will fade into the background; he still can (and will) talk to anyone he wants outside of the arena. But at least now we won’t have a player’s father questioning the coach’s decisions or trumpeting his son’s talents after every home game — even if the “LaVar Ball Rule” breeds unfortunate ramifications.
