Big Baller Brand CEO LaVar Ball can never be accused of lacking confidence, and his undying belief in himself was once again on display recently. CLASH had LaVar play the “Start, Bench, Cut” game, with the options presented to him being himself, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James.
“Man, you know you gotta start me,” Ball said. “We gotta bench Jordan. I gotta go with LeBron.”
You already knew who was going to start. The only question was who was getting kicked out, and LaVar went with LeBron. He, of course, boldly claimed years ago that he could beat both the icons 1-on-1.
In case you’re wondering, Ball’s stance hasn’t changed at all despite having his right foot amputated in early 2025. He said back in October that he’d still beat Jordan, and that he took off his right foot to make it even. Talk about brazen.
Getting back to here and now, CLASH also held a LaVar Ball vs 20 Gen Z Fans challenge. He claimed during it that he and LaMelo Ball would beat any father-son NBA duo. When one of the fans said they wouldn’t beat LeBron and Bronny James, he strongly disagreed.
“Back in my heyday, I will kill LeBron,” LaVar said. “He too little, too light. I’m too strong for him. And Bronny messing with Melo? Stop it. We do screen-and-roll, pick-and-roll all day, all night. I go inside, throw the ball to me, jump hook with the left or the right. Melo, go play with Bronny a little bit. Just hit them threes on him. I’ll just sit back and rebound.”
When the fan told LaVar he won’t be able to stop LeBron, he dismissed the notion. He wildly claimed the 22-time All-Star can’t shoot.
Staying on the topic of duos, CLASH asked LaVar what the score would be if he and LaMelo faced some notable father-son duos in a game to 11. As you’d imagine, he had them winning all the matchups with ease.
Q: “Starting off with Rick and Jalen Brunson.”
LaVar Ball: “That score might be 11-2.”
Q: “Ron and Dylan Harper.”
LaVar: “11-2.”
Q: “LeBron and Bronny James.”
LaVar: “11-0.”
Q: “Dell and Stephen Curry.”
LaVar: “11-0.”
Q. “Mychal and Klay Thompson.”
LaVar: “11-0.”
LaVar was being humble by his standards at first. The 58-year-old then went back to the usual.
As for how good LaVar actually was, the answer is not very good. He only played one season of Division I college basketball with Washington State, and to say he didn’t stand out would be an understatement.
LaVar averaged 2.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game for the Cougars in 1987-88. He then had to transfer down to California State, Los Angeles, in Division II. Safe to say, he wasn’t going to beat even NBA benchwarmers in his heyday.
LaVar Ball On The GOAT Debate
While LaVar thinks he can take down Jordan, he does believe that’s the greatest player of all time. He shared his thoughts on the GOAT debate during an appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast in 2020.
“The greatest of all time, how do you measure that?” LaVar said. “You measure that by your victories and what you did in those victories. I ain’t talking about you got 12 rings, and you’ve been on five different teams. I’m talking about a dude who went to the Finals, who was the main guy… When you have losses on your record, you can’t be the greatest of all time.
“That dude ain’t got no losses in the Finals,” LaVar added. “So it’s always going to be Michael Jordan until my boys succeed that, which is going to happen.”
Jordan being 6-0 in the NBA Finals is why LaVar thinks he is the GOAT. There is nothing LeBron can do to change that in his mind, as he is 4-6.
As for LaVar’s sons, they won’t be in this conversation. LiAngelo hasn’t played in an NBA game, while Lonzo’s career might be over. LaMelo is still playing, but he isn’t on that trajectory.
