LaVar Ball gets what he wants, will coach his sons
LaVar Ball will finally have the opportunity to coach his sons in a professional basketball game.
Ball will serve as an assistant coach for LiAngelo and LaMelo’s team, Prienai-Birstonas Vytautas, on Tuesday night in a Big Baller Challenge game in Lithuania.
LaVar showed up at the team’s practice last week to give his input on how he believes the team should play, and apparently Vytautas is willing to give his ideas a try.
“He will be an assistant coach on game protocol but will drive the team through the game and make many of the decisions,” a team spokesman told ESPN. “The style the team is going to play is going to be LaVar’s choice.”
During the practice, LaVar vocalized his belief that the team should play a more modern, up-tempo style of basketball that places greater emphasis on 3-point shooting.
Now, he’ll have the opportunity to turn his vision into reality during a friendly Big Baller Challenge game.
Vytautas coach Virginijus Seskus told ESPN through a translator, “LaVar wants the team to play fast. He also has an idea for a new way for the team to play defense, so we’re going to try it out tonight. Today we’ll be like two equal coaches, but this will only be for the friendly match. We’ll see how it goes today.”
LaVar on showing up in Vytautas practice: "Just to share my thoughts. He's got to believe it, that's all. I get it – he has been coaching for a long time and he is loyal to his guys. It's very hard for him. BUT! It's a hard decision which need to be made, IF you wanna win."
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) January 22, 2018
Vytautas will play against BC Dzukija in a Big Baller Challenge game on Tuesday night.
The Big Baller Challenge games are a series of five friendly games designed to get LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball playing time against other teenagers without affecting the team’s position in the Lithuanian league standings.
The Ball brothers signed with Vytautas in December but went scoreless in a combined 14 minutes during their first Lithuanian League (LKL) game. LKL games are more competitive and feature older players than the friendly Big Baller Challenge contests.
Vytautas is 3-0 in the friendly Big Baller Challenge games so far but only 4-16 in the LKL games that count this season.
LiAngelo Ball is averaging 23.3 points during the Big Baller Challenge, while younger brother LaMelo has compiled averages of 18.3 points and 7.3 assists per game through three contests.
The brothers played a combined 43 minutes in a 116-93 blowout loss on Sunday to P. Zvaigzdes. LiAngelo finished with 20 points, while LaMelo had 13 in a losing effort.
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