Adidas put refs in place who wouldn't eject LaVar Ball during AAU games

If changing a female referee mid-game after assessing a technical foul on LaVar Ball wasn't enough of a spectacle, Adidas officials outdid...

If changing a female referee mid-game after assessing a technical foul on LaVar Ball wasn't enough of a spectacle, Adidas officials outdid themselves by hand-picking referees that wouldn't eject the loudmouthed coach of the Big Ballers, according to ESPN's Myron Medcalf.

Following the ref's ejection, Ball was T'd up yet again with his team trailing 53-43, warranting his ejection. Ball refused to leave the court and consequently took his team off the court with him, resulting in a forfeit for the second time in a week.

This scenario played very differently from what the brand had planned as a source said event officials, supplied by ex-NBA ref Ed Rush's Court Club Elite group, were told to “put three officials on the game who will keep (Ball) in the building.”

“There was some miscommunication,” said Chris Rivers, Adidas' director of global basketball sports marketing, following the referee change mid-game. “The NBA don't put certain people with certain guys, either. If there's a history or miscommunication, that happens.”

Ball reportedly told a referee “You're the worst f***ing ref who ever lived,” during Thursday's game, according to the source — but the referee didn't call a technical foul after the orders of Adidas.

“Under normal circumstances, the sideline behavior, including profanity and sideline antics, would have demanded a technical foul under the category of disrespecting the game,” the source said. “However, due to strong messaging [from Adidas] to extend those guidelines in an effort to keep [Ball] in the gym, the officiating crew felt uncomfortable enforcing the technical foul rule for actions that clearly warranted [action].”

On Friday, Ball berated the female official and had “continual and prolonged derogatory comments toward the crew and, in particular, her,” according to the source.

The female official was “standing up for the integrity of the game” before being replaced, per the source.
Ball went on a mindless tirade about the officiating, maintaining his “stay on your lane” mentality.

“She's trying to make a name for herself, so she's walking around like, ‘You know I'm the only woman in here.' Yeah, we get it,” said Ball. “I don't care if you're a woman or a man or whatever — just be good at what you do.”

The Big Ballers were expected to play later today, but given Ball's earlier antics, Adidas does not know if they'll show up.