Lavar’s Plan

When companies start out they release an initial product that connects with buyers or fans and then they go on to perfect that product which keeps buyers or fans interested. The first successful product is just the product that launches the company from start up to legitimate business. If you watch the way Lavar has promoted his sons it is much like a start up company launching their first product. Lavar did a lot of trolling which was his way of marketing and not only did it work it worked to a level we have never seen before. Just out of him being so outspoken and sometimes downright comical, basically a WWE like character on sports talk shows. He was allowed to convince most NBA fans and personnel that Lonzo Ball would be the greatest thing to ever grace a basketball court. His marketing plan has been so good that even after two seasons in the NBA of subpar statistics. Most top players who have put up Lonzo’s numbers in the past would be preparing for a season off the bench or on their way out of the league. Some how Lonzo is still looked at as a possible building block waiting to break out instead of an often injured poor shooting point guard. If you pay any attention to Lavar now you realize he doesn’t do as much trolling as he did when Lonzo came in. He doesn’t need the press as much as he needed it then. His first exploits where necessary to keep eyes on him and raise interest. Now he has Facebook documenting him and his sons life. The free promo from ESPN and Instagram has been responsible for his early success. Some would think Lavar hasn’t been to successful but if you look at what he has done he really is one of the launching figures in the facebook streaming service. Not only has he used facebook streaming to promote his own family he has also been able to bring other leagues like the LKL and NBL to the U.S media. He has this all on the heels of launching his latest and greatest product, which is Lamelo Ball. Lamelo has all of the attributes of the other brothers and half the weaknesses. If the Ball brothers where iphones Lonzo was the iphone 3 and Liangelo was the iphone c that had a lot of problems never caught on which leaves Lamelo who would be the iphone 8 the most stable product giving you 4g internet and a phone that makes a desktop irrelevant. Everyone who is tired of Lavar was tired of his opening act but his he has a second act.

Lamelo’s Direction

Lavar can’t be the only one who gets credit for righting the ship that was going astray. Lamelo probably made the smartest play in securing the big baller brand future. When he decided to go back to high school my initial thoughts where that he wasn’t as good of a prospect as he was once touted to be. He struggled in the LKL and put up empty stats against less than ideal opposition in the JBA. The thing is his move back to high school was not just smart it was borderline brilliant. The scouts forgot how good he was and the school he went to played top level prospects and was loaded with talent as well. When he played in the JBA and LKL he was lazy on defense and was playing that Lavar Ball AAU basketball that allows you to put up good stats but doesn’t really create amazing prospects. Since going to Spire he has upped his defensive presence and become a play maker along the lines of his older brother Lonzo Ball. Then his decision to go to the NBL was questionable at first but the way he has showed up in the preseason it is clear that it was the best move he could have made. Not only did he make the right decision going to the NBL because of the talent but he also went to the league where the season closely resembles that of college basketball and it ends with enough time before the NBA draft to rest for a couple months and then begin training for the draft without wearing yourself out. Not to include the NBL’s next start contracts are better than that of a GLeague select player. The NBA better get ready for a larger dose of Lavar Ball because Lamelo is the real deal and he will be around for a long time. Don’t be surprised if Big Baller Brand is carried along with him.