Lonzo Ball is a talented basketball player, but all of the media attention — combined with the injuries that riddled his first two years in the NBA — got the general NBA fans to dismiss him as a bust.
This fact eventually balloons into a scandal when Lonzo and his father, LaVar, got into an argument about tweaking the brand of Big Baller Brand, the family-owned shoe and apparel company. LaVar apparently called his son “damaged goods”.
LaVar immediately claimed that his statement was taken out of context, it didn't stop the community from getting on his back. One of the players who said his piece was Austin Rivers.
The Houston Rockets guard said that LaVar's comments disturbed him, per Lonzo Wire. He couldn't believe that a father could say that to his son.
Rivers: “That’d be messed up, though. I wish them both the best. They’re both talented people, especially Lonzo. I wish nothing but the best for him.”
Cameraman: “He ain’t damaged goods though?”
Rivers: “Nah. He’s a great player. Great player.”
Rivers understand the struggles Lonzo was going through as he is also the son of an influential basketball figure. Doc Rivers' shadow is always cast on his career, and the Duke product will most likely deal with it his entire career.
His show of support for Lonzo is an acknowledgement that having parents who are popular in the sport they belong to is difficult. However, Rivers believe that he will be able to play to his potential and become a key component or the new-look New Orleans Pelicans.
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