LaMelo Ball’s father LaVar weighs in on the NBA GOAT debate

One of the rising basketball families in the NBA is the Ball family. LaMelo Ball, a standout for the Charlotte Hornets, and Lonzo Ball, currently with the Chicago Bulls, have both carved out careers in the league. The man behind their success? Their father, LaVar Ball, a businessman who helped guide his sons to the professional ranks.

While neither LaMelo nor Lonzo has won an NBA championship, both are well-regarded players, ensuring LaVar’s presence in NBA circles. Despite never playing in the league himself, LaVar has remained a recognizable figure, frequently attending games and making appearances at introductory press conferences.

As his sons made headlines with their performances, LaVar consistently made waves in the media. In 2020, he joined Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe to weigh in on the never-ending GOAT debate, sharing his thoughts on the greatest player in NBA history.

“First of all, we can never determine who’s the GOAT—there’s no formula for it, which is why we keep debating it,” LaVar Ball said. “But I think it depends on who you grew up watching. You also measure the GOAT debate by victories. When you have losses on your record, you can’t be the GOAT. So, it’s always going to be Michael Jordan, until my boys surpass that, which is going to happen.“

Sharpe challenges LaVar Ball’s take on the GOAT debate

After LaMelo Ball’s father shared his thoughts on the greatest of all time (GOAT) debate, Sharpe wasted no time in responding. He countered LaVar’s argument with a key point about Jordan’s career and his path to NBA success. “You can’t say it’s all about the Finals. Jordan played in other seasons where he didn’t make it to the Finals, what about those?” Sharpe fired back at LaVar.

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LaVar, however, remained firm in his stance, emphasizing championships as the ultimate measure of greatness. “Like I said, if you don’t get to the Finals, you’re off the hook,” he told Sharpe, making it clear that he still ranked LeBron James below Jordan in the debate.

The time LaVar Ball claimed he could beat Jordan one-on-one

Ball is no stranger to bold statements, especially when it comes to basketball. While he’s often spoken with confidence about his sons’ NBA potential, he has also made headlines for his own audacious claims, despite never playing in the league.

One of his most memorable takes came when he was asked whether he could beat Jordan in a one-on-one matchup. Without hesitation, LaVar doubled down with unwavering confidence.

“There’s no way he can beat me one-on-one. I was 6-foot-6, 270 [pounds], and benching 500 pounds. One-on-one? You’re going to need some help… I don’t care if you’re George Washington or Jesus, you can’t beat me one-on-one,” Ball said during a 2021 interview on 95.7 The Game.