Depending on where you stand on this whole thing, LaVar Ball is either a genius or a lunatic for the way he’s handled the scholastic basketball careers of his two youngest sons now ex-UCLA freshman LiAngelo & ex-high schooler LaMelo; both allegedly removed from school by their father.
There appears to be a method to the madness.
LaVar has never seemed to be too keen on his boys playing for free; & now that he’s got one making premium money as a top lottery pick for the Lakers, he’s looking to maximize the earning power for Gelo & Melo respectively.
Via Yahoo Sports:
LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball have started to explore options to sign internationally, sources told Yahoo Sports.
Harrison Gaines, the representative for LaMelo, 16, and LiAngelo, 19, started initial contact with overseas teams this week, sources told Yahoo Sports.
For LaMelo and LiAngelo, the decision to turn pro means the end of their prospective collegiate careers. LaMelo Ball had previously committed to UCLA.
Granted, this costs Melo & Gelo their opportunities to play college sports, but on the flip side, they will make guaranteed money overseas (likely more than most young players), while they’d be making nothing at UCLA & hanging their hopes on the long shot that nothing will go wrong on their road to the NBA…which in itself is definitely no guarantee.
If the goal of the Ball family is to create generational wealth, this is definitely the quickest & safest way to do it. The brand will probably never be as hot as they are right now.