BAC Magazine Ball Bro Issue!

Now, even though Lonzo Ball has moved on the play college basketball at
UCLA, the three boys remain extremely close. Before his move, they, with
their father and mother LaVar and Tina Ball, founded the Big Baller Brand
clothing line, or BBB. Appropriately, the slogan of Big Baller Brand is “Built
for This,” as these young men exemplify the sport itself. The clothing line,
a hybrid line of sports and casual wear, has been doing phenomenally
in the first months of business, selling thousands of products including
shirts, hoodies, hats, and sweatpants, for both men and women.
Nothing deters these young
men from pursuing greatness.
That is possibly the one
outstanding feature of a true
champion. Trained by their
father LaVar, daily waking at 5
a.m. for training, going to basketball
practice after school,
and then weight training and
cardio training for another
two hours was and remains the
norm for these athletes.
The encouraging influence
that LaVar and Tina Ball have
provided their sons has allowed
the boys to truly excel as
basketball players. In a recent
interview, Melo stated, “My
dad made me a champion, and
my family.” Similarly, LiAngelo
averred the reason for their
success was “the way our dad
trains us, making us run hills
and lift weights.”
When looking back at what
helped them succeed, both
Melo and Gelo drew upon the
fact that they were trained athletically
by their father from a
very young age. Melo specified
that “playing at a young age
and playing up – that helped a
lot” in his becoming a basketball
champion. Gelo, too, cited
the way in which, as young basketball
players in grade school,
they were “running hills and
getting stronger.” When asked
what they thought the most
important characteristics of
a champion are, and the ones
they focused on in themselves,
both Melo and Gelo had profound
insights. Gelo stated
that a champion had to have
the following mentality: “You
have to stay focused on what
you’re doing, and be able to
take constructive criticism.”
Melo added to that a true
champion is “nice to others,
humble, and respectful.”
LaVar often tells one story
that epitomizes just what it
took for his sons to become
champions. While still young,
in grade school, LaVar went
out to the store and bought
cement with the boys. After
hauling the cement back to
the house, he proceeded to
instruct the boys on how and
where to carry the cement, mix
the cement, and finally pour it.
By the end of the task, all three
young men were exhausted
– two in the doing of it, one
in just watching the display.
Upon completion of the task,
LaVar asked them, “Would
you rather work hard like this
everyday, like other people?
Or do you want to work hard to
make yourselves into legends?
It’s up to you.”
Melo had watched his older
brothers Lonzo and Gelo labor
under those conditions, and
even observing, he noted, “It
was hard work…and boring.”
Gelo expanded a bit more on
the impact this made on him
as a child: “I learned I wanted
to get good as basketball; otherwise,
I was going to have to
something in that [labor-intensive]
category.” This wasn’t
something than any of the
boys wanted to do.
Needless to say, dedication poured from all three boys in a way it never
had before, and that hard work soon manifested into great skill. That is the
basis of a champion – being willing to sacrifice and work hard for what a
person loves and believes in, knowing that the end outcome will be worthwhile.
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BAC Magazine