LaVar Ball On Kardashian Comparisons: ‘I Ain’t No Kardashian, I Ain’t No Kris Jenner!’
Basketball patriarch LaVar Ball isn’t having any of those Kardashian comparisons. And while there are a lot of similarities between both families, Ball isn’t too flattered when he, in particular, is compared to Kardashian momager Kris Jenner, and as far as his family is concerned, the Balls have their own identity, and their own path to take, as oldest son Lonzo Ball prepares for his rookie year with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Ball fielded a few quick questions about his upcoming family reality show, and if the Facebook-based series does indeed make LaVar’s family comparable to Kris Jenner’s clan in any way, shape, or form. Keeping it short and sweet, LaVar Ball shot down the Kardashian comparisons, while hyping up his own family for the TMZ reporter.
“I ain’t no Kardashian, I ain’t no Kris Jenner. We’re the Balls. Welcome to the Ball era.”
When asked about what he thinks about Kris and her kids, LaVar stressed the importance of maintaining his family’s own identity, while adding that he doesn’t have any personal opinion about the longtime reality television mainstays.
“I don’t like ’em, I don’t dislike ’em. Kardashians are Kardashians. The Balls are separate. We’re ballplayers.”
As previously reported by Deadline, the Ball family reality show is one of two new original series approved by Facebook, as it diversifies into the video content space. At the moment, the show remains untitled but is confirmed to star LaVar Ball, his sons Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo. Lonzo Ball will be making his pro debut later this year for the Lakers as the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, while LiAngelo and LaMelo are both suiting up for Chino Hills High School.
The upcoming premiere of a new reality series, as TMZ Sports pointed out, adds to the similarities LaVar Ball’s family shares with the Kardashians.
“Each family has one super famous kid, names that start with the same letter, and like Kris Jenner, LaVar seems to be a branding genius.”
This, however, is not the only time LaVar Ball has gotten compared to Jenner, and even referred to as a male version of the Kardashian/Jenner family matriarch. In May, Los Angeles Lakers president and basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson was quoted in a USA Today report that LaVar and Kris share a penchant for controversial remarks and publicity stunts, though he stressed that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“He’s just saying, ‘Hey, my son is great,’ and there’s nothing bad with that. So we’re not looking at LaVar being a problem if we’re blessed to have the opportunity to draft Lonzo. We don’t know at this time if we’re going to do that at this time.”
Do you think LaVar Ball and his family deserve the Kardashian/Kris Jenner comparisons? What are your expectations for the Ball family’s Facebook reality show?
[Featured Image by Mike Stobe/Getty Images]
