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Ball brothers land in Lithuania on 鈥榡ourney to NBA鈥
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Flamboyant basketball dad LaVar Ball landed with two of his sons in Lithuania late on Wednesday to begin their international pro careers, calling it part of their 鈥渏ourney鈥 to the NBA鈥檚 Los Angeles Lakers.
A Twitter feud with US President Donald Trump shot LaVar Ball into the international spotlight in November.
Trump accused him of being an 鈥淯ngrateful fool!鈥 for downplaying his help in getting son LiAngelo returned to the United States from China.
The 19-year-old had been arrested along with two UCLA teammates for shoplifting designer sunglasses.
鈥淛ust think LaVar, you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China, but no NBA contract to support you,鈥 Trump tweeted.
After UCLA benched the youngster, dad LaVar agreed to a contract offer in Lithuania.
鈥淚鈥檓 gonna get all my boys on the Lakers, but we gonna come over here and have some fun first,鈥 Ball senior told reporters after landing at Vilnius airport. His eldest son Lonzo, 20, already plays in the NBA for the Lakers.
Sons LiAngelo and 16-year-old LaMelo will make their pro career debut in Lithuania for the Vytautas club, ranked last in the Baltic EU state鈥檚 basketball league and located in the small southern town of Prienai, with a population of 10,000.
The contract, signed last month, triggered interest on both sides of Atlantic.
鈥淵ou know what, we didn鈥檛 choose Lithuania, Lithuania chose us,!鈥 LaVar Ball, who created the 鈥淏ig Baller鈥 brand, told reporters.
Basketball is dubbed the second religion after Catholicism in Lithuania, a country of 2.8 million that is ranked number five in the world. The Vytautas club tied for last place in the 10-team national league.
A special 鈥淧arty Bus鈥 took the Balls to their new residence at a luxury spa hotel in the resort town of Birstonas, just across the river from Prienai.
The younger brothers of Lonzo, the LA Lakers鈥 star rookie point guard, will play more minutes in the less competitive Baltic League, with their debut likely next Tuesday.
鈥淢ost of the journalists are hyped on their arrival, but not actual playing. We all understand that this deal is not about basketball at all,鈥 sport analyst Donatas Urbonas said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about Big Baller brand,鈥 he added.
The Lithuanian club has also described the contract as a 鈥渃ommercial project,鈥 and has already attracted new sponsors after the deal was signed, according to local media. A scrolling red LED sign on a restaurant in the host town exclaimed 鈥淧RIENAI GOT BALLS!!!!!鈥 ahead of the brothers鈥 arrival.
They will shoot hoops in the nearby 1,500-seat gym.
鈥淲e were told they eat only pizzas and burgers. We have both so we don鈥檛 need to change much,鈥 says Jaunius Malisauskas, the owner of TangoPizza.
Locals are hoping the Ball deal will put their town on the map.
鈥淣obody knows where Prienai is. Maybe now they will,鈥 49-year-old construction worker Rimantas Bisliukas added.
Lithuania鈥檚 Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius also offered a warm welcome to the teens.
鈥淟ooking forward to watch you playing in #Lithuania 鈥 the temple of #Basketball 鈥 Ball Brothers! Definitely winning destination!,鈥 Linkevicius tweeted.
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