Photo Credit: Petras Malukas, AFP/Getty Images
Lithuanian Coach Rips Ball Brothers
Last December, Lonzo Ball’s brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, have signed professional contracts with Lithuanian team Prienu Vytautas. In becoming professional players, both ended their NCAA eligibility.
While both Balls weren’t really getting a lot of minutes in the LKL, Lithuania’s pro-league, they dominated in Big Baller Brand Challenge games against younger, subpar competition. It was more or less a marketing gag, rather than competitive basketball to be honest.
The brothers barely playing in the pro-leauge also led to LaVar Ball’s decision to eventually pulling his sons out of Lithuania early, even though there were two games left in the season.
According to various reports, Ball wasn’t able to overcome the issues he had with Vytautas head coach Virginijus Seskus. Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times now referenced coach Seskus’ statements. He is ripping the Ball brothers apart, saying that they are nowhere near the leverl of the LKL, let alone the NBA.
“The first and most crucial mistake we made was allowing them, especially LaVar, think that they are in charge of the club — its decisions, its plans and even the game,” coach Virginijus Seskus said in a statement released by the Prienai-Birstonas Vytautas, now known as BC Prinai-Skycop, of the Lithuanian league on Thursday.
“His boys were nowhere near the level of the LKL, let alone NBA, which the league obviously understands, seeing the draft outcome.”
“The most disappointing fact was that they had no inner drive to become better,” Seskus said. “And when they saw it was going nowhere, they started destroying the club, not paying out prize money to the Big Baller Brand tournament winners, etc.”
“It was a short-term move, and it did the job,” Seskus said of the business relationship with Big Baller Brand. “The club survived and that is the most important fact.”
After watching footage of LiAngelo’s draft workout, where he went 4/16, and even hit the side of the backboard, on open threes, without being defended, Seskus’ statements aren’t far-fetched at all.
