Lithuanian coach reveals playing-time plan for LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball
Those on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the Ball brothers’ Lithuania debut will be happy to know the pair will get lots of playing time, per head coach Virginijus Seskus.
Seskus is the coach of Prienu Vytautas of the Lithuania Basketball League. Seskus has never seen LiAngelo or LaMelo Ball play in person, but did see them on YouTube as well as highlights sent by their agent.
The coach promised fans that the Ball brothers will get every opportunity to contribute to the team and show off their skills.
“They are young, but I can promise that they will play a lot and I hope we will help them to get better and they will help us to win more games,” Seskus said through his son, Edvinus, who is a guard on the team.
“We are waiting for them,” Virginijus Seskus said. “Don’t worry, they will play.”
Since Virginijus is the coach and his son, Edvinus, is also on the team, the Ball brothers will get to experience what it was like for all of their AAU teammates when the Balls were coached by their father, LaVar, on his Big Baller Brand team.
Virginijus has even been referred to as the “LaVar Ball of Lithuania.”
Funny video going around Lithuania featuring Vytautas head coach Virginijus Seskus, aka “the Lavar Ball of Lithuania” and the real Ball family. pic.twitter.com/F2u0E5VVuv
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 12, 2017
LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball signed one-year contracts with Prienu Vytautas on Dec. 11. While their expected salaries have spawned debate, the subject of playing time apparently won’t be an issue and it depends on their ability to help the team.
“How much they will play depends the opponent, and what the strategy will be,” Virginijus said. “But both will play a lot of minutes so that means that they will play for sure on the court at the same time.”
Virginijus admits his English is not very good but that most of the roster does speak English. He also says communication shouldn’t be much of an issue because there is a “basketball language.”
Speaking of the roster, it will be much different than the teenagers that LiAngelo and LaMelo have played with and against for most of their lives. Seven out of the 14 players on the team’s roster are over 30 years old. The Balls will be two of three teenagers on the team.
Of course, part of the reason the two were brought in is for marketing and publicity as well. The team has already executed deals with Amazon to have jerseys available of the Balls for purchase in the United States.
BC Vytautas has shipped approximately 500 jerseys, half LaMelo and half LiAngelo, to an Amazon warehouse in the U.S. for distribution. They also plan to ship even more to the U.S. to coincide with the brothers’ arrival in Lithuania.
The Ball brothers are expected to arrive in Lithuania on Wednesday and the plan is for them to debut next Tuesday. They are expected to play in the Baltic League and Lithuania League, which are the lower-level and premier leagues of Lithuania, respectively.
The coach’s son knows their arrivals likely mean less playing time for him, but he will take that in exchange for having more scouts and agents watching the team’s games.
“I am waiting for them. And all of Lithuania is waiting for them,” Seskus said. “Everybody wants to see how good they are.”
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