ESPN Reportedly Is Done with LaVar Ball for Good
ESPN apparently has decided it’s had enough of the outspoken LaVar Ball, father of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball.
Network officials told The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch that “The Worldwide Leader” is done with Ball after comments he made to “First Take” host Molly Qerim Rose during an appearance Monday.
“There will be no LaVar Ball on any ESPN platform heading forward — at least as of now,” Deitsch tweeted Wednesday.
“Asked if Ball will be used as an on-air guest, an on-the-record source for digital, or a background source for ESPN, an ESPN spokesperson said, ‘We have no plans moving forward,'” he said.
There will be no LaVar Ball on any ESPN platform heading forward — at least as of now. Asked if Ball will be used as an on-air guest, an on-the-record source for digital, or a background source for ESPN, an ESPN spokesperson said,”We have no plans moving forward.”
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) June 19, 2019
Many wondered what took the network so long.
— MitchWhit (@MitchWhitty) June 19, 2019
3 years too late
— Aaron Way (@AaronWay25) June 19, 2019
Others said ESPN, along with other media outlets, shouldn’t have given him so much attention in the first place.
ESPN crying about a monster they created. Boo hoo.
— Keith Hatfield (@rkeithhatfield) June 20, 2019
Funny he was used in the first place. ESPN made the bed, and now they lie in it.
— Matt O’Toole (@mwotoole) June 19, 2019
The breaking point came on “First Take” when Ball made a remark to Qerim Rose, wife of ESPN’s Jalen Rose, that network officials called “completely inappropriate.”
It was in response to a question Qerim Rose had for Ball.
“LaVar, can I switch gears with you because I have a question here?” she asked.
“You can switch gears with me anytime,” Ball responded.
LaVar shooting his shot at Molly Qerim during First Take interview? Jalen Rose gonna bust him up lol pic.twitter.com/HeIB9CFIxH
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 17, 2019
“Oh Lord,” co-host Stephen A. Smith could be heard saying in exasperation.
Qerim Rose brushed it off, saying, “Let’s stay focused here.”
But at the end of the show she appeared to make a reference to it with the comment, “If anyone’s calling HR today, it’s me.”
Molly Qerim jokes about calling HR after awkward exchange with LaVar Ball pic.twitter.com/4NMhhyBFxd
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 17, 2019
Ball’s camp later denied that the comment was sexual in nature.
“[LaVar] was asked if he wanted to switch gears, in his mind switching gears was ‘changing the subject anytime’ and he said, ‘yes, you can switch gears with me anytime.’ At NO time was that intended or meant to be sexual in nature,” Ball representative Denise White said in a statement, TMZ Sports reported.
In 2017, Ball was blasted for a comment he made to Fox Sports host Kristine Leahy, then of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” Ball told Leahy to “stay in your lane” after she asked him about how many Big Baller Brand shoes he had sold.
While ESPN’s decision is a welcome move to many sports fan who have grown tired of Ball’s act, it might be most beneficial for his sons, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo, who won’t have to deal the distractions he often causes.
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