LaVar Ball on UCLA losing in March Madness: 'You can't win no championship with 3 white guys'
Mark J. Terrill/AP
Lonzo Ball and the UCLA Bruins bowed out of this year's NCAA tournament in the Sweet 16. Several weeks later Lonzo's eccentric father, LaVar Ball, suggested it was because they had "three white guys" in their lineup.
"Realistically you can't win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow," LaVar told the Orange County Register on Thursday. "I told Lonzo, 'One of these games you might need to go for 30 or 40 points.' It turned out that was the one game. Then once they get to the Elite 8, they're right there."
This season, UCLA started three white players: TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford, and Thomas Welsh.
In the Bruins' Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky, Lonzo Ball played through a bad hamstring and only managed 10 points.
"People thought he was giving up, but he popped his hamstring," LaVar Ball said. "He said, 'I was trying to run, but my hamstring was pulled.' But he's never going to make excuses."
In the locker room after his team's March Madness loss, Lonzo Ball announced that he was turning pro, and he's projected to be a top-three pick in this year's NBA Draft. Basketball fans may debate whether his wonky jump shot will translate to the NBA, but one thing is certain: LaVar Ball will continue to make headlines once his son reaches the next level.
- I got a $40K raise using this 30-second strategy. It made me realize loud work, not hard work, always wins.
- Qatar Airways' new CEO explains why it's sticking with the Airbus A380 as other airlines retire the costly superjumbo
- Prince Harry and Meghan found out about Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis on TV like everyone else, report says
- Consuming excessive salt and inadequate potassium, protein is making North Indians prone to life-threatening diseases: Study
- Upcoming cars and two-wheelers launching in India in April 2024
- Ice melt in Antarctica and Greenland is slowing Earth's rotation, affecting timekeeping: Study
- Elections on a plate: Poll panels fix menu & expense ceiling for Samosa, tea, biryani & more
- Regenerative farming, cover crops will help farmers increase yields, reduce stubble burning: IDH CEO