Well that didn't take long: Lonzo Ball declares for the NBA

[teecee]

Yes, it protects veterans. They shouldn't have to improve to keep a roster spot, apparently. I don't care what the dept of labor has to say about this discrimination, it's discrimination. Does not protect the product, it protects mediocre vets.

[TheMoneyShot]

What a loud obnoxious (Ball) family...

Seems like one disaster waiting to happen.

Going to be on ESPN's 30 for 30 in 5 years.

[milwaukee mike]

now that all the Ball seasons are over, are they allowed to go see their sick mommy in hospital yet?

being married to such an asshole caused her to have a stroke

guy is the lowest form of scum... got married and had kids just so they could be his meal ticket, and doesn't care about them other than their ability to make him money

[Sport_Fish]

Sucks that his piece of shit dad makes you want to hate Lonzo eventhough he is a good guy and player.

Can't wait to see what show the idiot goes on next and has to say about his son losing.

[milwaukee mike]

Sucks that his piece of shit dad makes you want to hate Lonzo eventhough he is a good guy and player.

Can't wait to see what show the idiot goes on next and has to say about his son losing.

exactly

people rooting against all these kids just because of dad... he thinks he is making money for the family but he is creating a train wreck that will only cost them all... how many people want to buy merchandise of a guy they hate, or how many teams (including the lakers) want to draft any of these kids

this doesn't end well

[bigtymer56]

The whole world knew, but it screams that he didn't give two shits if they won or not. Have a little respect for your team and fans, and pretend.

Surprisingly, Dad said he's happy Alford is staying to coach his other two meal tickets.

So he has to be fake because he might upset some people who already knew exactly what he was going to do?

[Cuse0323]

So he has to be fake because he might upset some people who already knew exactly what he was going to do?

It's about his teammates, and coach. Also something called respect. He doesn't have to be fake. Just talk about the game, not yourself before you even get out of the building.

[jjgold]

He is not changing any team

No guard does anymore

[Thor4140]

No, I wanted him to at least wait until he took a fukking shower. How about at least waiting until the post game interviews with your teammates and coach sitting next to you? How about at least waiting until Monday or next week or after the Tourney is over instead of making it all about you? He knew he was a one and done a long time ago but common sense should tell him that he should just say no comment at that moment. Did he stop to think that UCLA fans and students just had their hearts ripped out. Why the hell would you rip them even more by making that announcement? He basically said, hey, I'm moving on to bigger and better things, See Ya. It's that lack of awareness and total selfishness that is troubling. He's a free man, he can do what he wants but it's poor timing just like Lebron's "decision". Get over yourself. Stand by your team. Make it about the team and not yourself. They ask the question and your answer should be... "At this moment, the only thing I'm thinking about is our team and my teammates". I'll have plenty of time to think about that later".

Mac did u actually hear the interview? Wow man nothing in the world is gonna change after him answering the question honestly. U make it seem like he ran after the first interviewer he could find to say he is leaving. My goodness relax the ucla fans will get thru it

[Thor4140]

It's about his teammates, and coach. Also something called respect. He doesn't have to be fake. Just talk about the game, not yourself before you even get out of the building.

The kid is what 19. Lol u guys are a piece of work. I'm not sure u heard the interview either

[kingdom]

The kid is what 19. Lol u guys are a piece of work. I'm not sure u heard the interview either

You're right. Guys treat other posters as reporters and take their skewed version of events as actuality. The reporter led the question saying it's been made clear that you are going to the nba so was this your last game as a bruin? In his answer he said yes and expressed how much he enjoyed his experience, teammates, fans and coaches at UCLA.

[gauchojake]

He is not changing any team

No guard does anymore

Do you even read the shit you write?

[opie1988]

Opie syndrome

[Mac4Lyfe]

You're right. Guys treat other posters as reporters and take their skewed version of events as actuality. The reporter led the question saying it's been made clear that you are going to the nba so was this your last game as a bruin? In his answer he said yes and expressed how much he enjoyed his experience, teammates, fans and coaches at UCLA.

I heard the interview and he looked like he couldn't give a shit. Just because you're asked the question doesn't mean you have to answer it. The only correct answer IMO was to defer in that spot. Hell, he can say whatever he wants to say, it's a free country. That interview changed my opinion of him. I use to only be annoyed at his daddy. Now he's just as bad in my eyes. I'm not a fan.

[kingdom]

If he had a press conference to declare it and thanked his teammates etc. it would have been looked at as selfish. He answered the question honestly and if you've ever seen his interviews, that's how he is. Reserved. Shaq, Webber and Jalen Rose answered those questions in the same manner. It was definitive knowledge that they were NBA bound. You can blame the reporter for asking such an obvious question. Might as well asked if he was gonna eat something tomorrow...it was a question the entire planet already knew the answer to.
If they ask Monk and Fox after their final game if it's their last game at Kentucky and they say yes and thank the fans, teammates, and coaches, i assume you are not a fan of them as well? How bout the guy from Florida that announced it while his team is still in the tourney? you must really dislike him lol.

[Mac4Lyfe]

If he had a press conference to declare it and thanked his teammates etc. it would have been looked at as selfish. He answered the question honestly and if you've ever seen his interviews, that's how he is. Reserved. Shaq, Webber and Jalen Rose answered those questions in the same manner. It was definitive knowledge that they were NBA bound. You can blame the reporter for asking such an obvious question. Might as well asked if he was gonna eat something tomorrow...it was a question the entire planet already knew the answer to.
If they ask Monk and Fox after their final game if it's their last game at Kentucky and they say yes and thank the fans, teammates, and coaches, i assume you are not a fan of them as well? How bout the guy from Florida that announced it while his team is still in the tourney? you must really dislike him lol.

I am not a fan of ANY player that announces the NBA draft right after their team lost in the tournament. I would be pissed if my own son did it which he would not as he knows better. If Monk and Fox do it, I will be upset as well. I am not a fan of anyone holding a press conference either just like I can't stand a 5* football player making a spectacle of himself with the hat charade. My wife's cousin was the number 1 rated football player in the country one year and I told him if he made it a big deal, I would kick his ass. He did not.

What Florida player are you talking about? When did he announce?

[kingdom]

now that i think about it, I believe it was the kid from Florida St. that had mentioned it during the season. my bad.

[Mac4Lyfe]

now that i think about it, I believe it was the kid from Florida St. that had mentioned it during the season. my bad.

No worries. Devin Robinson put his name in the hat last year but decided to come back after he got an evaluation. I think he may go this year but he damn better not announce right after if we lose.

Someone has to instruct players what to say and have them prepared. I think Papa Ball did the instructing, so I'm not going to totally obliterate the kid but I thought he was smarter than that. All he had to do was to say, I don't really want to talk about that right now. I'm going to get with my coach, teammates and family in the coming days. Right now it's all about my teammates and the fans. We wanted this so bad and it wasn't meant to be. I'm not in any condition to talk about the NBA right now while my heart is broken. Then you tell coach Alford to make the announcement on your behalf AFTER the tournament is over next week. That the right way to do it.

[Mac4Lyfe]

now that i think about it, I believe it was the kid from Florida St. that had mentioned it during the season. my bad.

FSU just lost 3 players to the NBA, which is probably why they got their asses kicked. Guys looking ahead and not focused on the game at hand. Sort of like college football players going into a bowl game. You never know who is motivated to play and who is ready to get the hell out of there.

[kingdom]

So is the adult reporter more to blame for putting the mic in front of kids faces for a soundbite? I think it's a different world with the one and dones where we all know in advance. It would be a blatant lie to say you're gonna get with your coach and family and think about it. Lots of people would have blitzed him for lying lol.
Especially in the days where the league doesn't allow them in after high school. To pretend you want to be a college athlete instead of a pro to appease people is silly to me.

[Mac4Lyfe]

So is the adult reporter more to blame for putting the mic in front of kids faces for a soundbite? I think it's a different world with the one and dones where we all know in advance. It would be a blatant lie to say you're gonna get with your coach and family and think about it. Lots of people would have blitzed him for lying lol.
Especially in the days where the league doesn't allow them in after high school. To pretend you want to be a college athlete instead of a pro to appease people is silly to me.

Which is why I love the Gator boys that were the last to repeat a title. Joakim Noah was projected to be the number 1 pick and Horford and Brewer were all lottery picks and they all decided to come back. Brewer's dad had health issues and the family needed money but he put that aside to come back because he loved playing with the other guys. Noah lost millions by staying another year as he dropped in the next year draft. Those guys loved playing with each other. I will always remember their press conference when they all finally declared days AFTER they won the title and they were all crying because they would never be able to play with each other again. I am sick and tire of this "me" generation that is more concerned with "I got to get mine" mentality. Ball is going to make his money. Does he have to throw it in everyone's face immediately after laying an egg?

[BennyBigNuts]

This reminds me of a certain football player a few years back who didn't give a shit about winning or losing in college either.
The only difference is this guy has a scumbag father hes bringing with him.
How is ole johnny doing anyway?

[kingdom]

Trust me, Monk and Fox will be asked these questions just like Anthony Davis and all others were. and today's standard answer is to thank your teammates, fans and coaches for a great experience. You gotta be willing to move on with the times Mac. for years i was frustrated with the quality of ncaab because i was fortunate to grow up and see great college teams. There will never be another unlv or even the duke teams of the 90s. Watching Vince Carter and Jamison at Carolina. I watched the SEC tourney just thinking about Monk and Fox playing together for 3 years. it would be amazing. But the times we live in are watching the great young players compete against teams of juniors and seniors that have to stick around. It's not inconsiderate for 1 and dones to talk about it because it is an after thought. The surprise is if they stay. and even the Duke kids don't anymore. These are kids, and adults are often too judgmental. this is the world they know.

[Thor4140]

This reminds me of a certain football player a few years back who didn't give a shit about winning or losing in college either.
The only difference is this guy has a scumbag father hes bringing with him.
How is ole johnny doing anyway?

Johnny didn't give a shit about winning? The way he was playing looked like a guy who wanted to win in my eyes. He also has refocused and grew up a bit from last i heard. Looks like the kid has done a 180. Will he sustain it? Who knows. I know one thing the fuker was fun to watch.

[bigtymer56]

It's about his teammates, and coach. Also something called respect. He doesn't have to be fake. Just talk about the game, not yourself before you even get out of the building.

Lol...his coaches (and probably his teammates) knew he was one and done before he even stepped on campus. They're big boys, Im sure they can handle it. Somebody asked him a question and he answered it honestly. Its done and over with now. No need for some press conference or some media statement in a few weeks. People all upset because he didn't wait some arbitrary amount of time to officially declare. You want him to be like all the college coaches? Guys lie and deflect and talk about how much they love x university and then the second they get a better offer...bye bye.

And as for comparing him to Manziel...come on. The knocks people have on the kid is the perceived notion that he didn't care about losing and his dad is loudmouth. Nothing like Manziel at all. Also, Manziel always seems to me like he cared about winning. Unfortunately he seemed to care about partying and living it up with equal intensity.

[BennyBigNuts]

Johnny didn't give a shit about winning? The way he was playing looked like a guy who wanted to win in my eyes. He also has refocused and grew up a bit from last i heard. Looks like the kid has done a 180. Will he sustain it? Who knows. I know one thing the fuker was fun to watch.

Guess you forget him partying and getting hammered the night before big games like how many times? Yeah, thats a guy who wants to win.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Guess you forget him partying and getting hammered the night before big games like how many times? Yeah, thats a guy who wants to win.

plus he didn't show up for practice the same day he was announced the starter.

John Football is a fukking mess. Getting married and saying he's a changed man doesn't change a dumb ass.

[Kermit]

[Mac4Lyfe]

Trust me, Monk and Fox will be asked these questions.

Did you catch Fox and Adobayo crying their eyes out in the locker room? They were totally distraught and made no mention of the NBA. They at least get it...