“He might shoot me”: LaVar Ball brutally brings back Ja Morant’s gun memes to life after picking Grizzlies guard over Victor Wembanyama

LaVar Ball, father of NBA players Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball, has never shied away from controversy. On Friday, the CEO of the Big Baller Brand went on TikTok to answer questions about the best young players in the NBA. When asked to choose between Ja Morant and Victor Wembanyama, the elder Ball thought for a few moments before responding:

“Uh, I have to go with Ja Morant ‘cause he might shoot me.”

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In the next slide, LaVar Ball gave his reason for picking the Memphis Grizzlies point guard over Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown:

“Ja Morant ‘cause he’s a wild guy. I gotta watch out for him.”

Ball could not resist bringing back Morant’s controversial past in his answers. In March 2023, the NBA suspended the uber-athletic guard for brandishing a gun on Instagram Live. Morant went to Florida for a counseling program and vowed to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to clean up his act.

Roughly a month later, Morant was back in the limelight for the same controversy. A clip of “G12” flexing a gun on IG Live promptly went viral. The Memphis Grizzlies responded by suspending him from all team activities. Silver eventually handed a 25-game suspension to Morant, which the point guard served to start the 2023-24 season.

Morant stayed out of trouble last season, but LaVar Ball could not help but bring up the two-time All-Star’s controversial past.

LaVar Ball picks his son, Lonzo Ball, over Ja Morant

Despite his claims for picking Ja Morant, LaVar Ball had to stand up for his son, Lonzo Ball. He called “Zo” the “world’s greatest point guard," the reason he put him over Morant.

The elder Ball would not budge in his stance when the next slide compared Lonzo with New Orleans Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson. According to the businessman, he’s picking “Zo” because he is his son.

The 57-year-old businessman had his toughest time in the episode when forced to pick between Lonzo and LaMelo. He called the question a “tough one” before busting out:

“I might swerve, bend that corner, whoa”

LaVar chose a line from the song “Tweaker” to respond. In effect, he picked his third son, LiAngelo Ball, the voice behind the hitmaker, as the better Ball player. Interestingly, Gelo is still hoping to play in the NBA, making LaVar’s response both dubious and hilarious.

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About the author

Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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