Opening Night, Patrick Beverley picked up two quick fouls in the first period trying to send a message to Lonzo Ball. What a doofus.
Now, as the Los Angeles Lakers are set to face off against John Wall’s Washington Wizards, the eight-year veteran is promising to take no mercy on the 19-year-old rookie, a controversy sparked by a tweet from Marcin Gortat’s tweet on Monday night.
man….. pleaseeeeee!!! @JohnWall will torture him for 48min 😂😂😂😂
— Marcin Gortat🇵🇱 (@MGortat) October 23, 2017
Brandon Ingram stepped up in Ball’s defense on Tuesday, saying he and team would have his back.
But back to Wall.
First, why would he take any ‘mercy’ on any opposing player?
Second, why is Lonzo any different? Sure, he has a loud dad, but if that’s the only explanation, it excuses the type of doofus behavior Beverley displayed opening night. It’s immaturity, and explaining it away via the most recent LaVar Ball quote excuses said immaturity.
Scott Brooks holds a similar belief. This, via Candace Buckner of the Washington Post.
“You know what, hey, people talk about his dad all the time. Hey, I mean, my father left me at 2. I would love to have my father around like [LaVar] is around and talk to him and pump me up with confidence,” Brooks said. “To me, that’s every son’s dream. And for some reason he gets criticized. No question, he’s a little ambitious at times [with] what he says. But he’s around his son. I have no problem with that. And maybe he could temper it a little bit, but I would’ve loved to have my father do that.”
In a league filled with players raised by single moms, the son of a supportive dad probably shouldn’t be getting the vitriol he does on a seemingly nightly basis, regardless of how obnoxious that support might become (unless it becomes offensive, obviously).
It’s also worth pointing out the role the media plays in all this, and I’m saying this as a member of said media. As soon as LaVar gives one of his stupid quotes, beat reporters flock to players with the haste of that one obnoxious dude who instigates fights.
*LaVar gives stupid quote*
Reporter to player on the other end of that quote: “OH NO HE DI’INT!”
Player on the other end of the quote: “OH YES HE DID I’MA F*** UP HIS SON.”
Wait what?
At some point, everyone will realize just how dumb this all is. Hopefully, that time will come sooner rather than later.
