The Los Angeles Lakers are going to enforce a ban on media from sitting with parents and family, probably because of the recent LaVar Ball statements published in the media. Thus the rule is being dubbed the LaVar Ball Rule.
Well it finally happened and the Los Angeles Lakers media, and media in general, is not happy, and they have every right to complain. The LaVar Ball rule, as termed by STAPLES staff according to Chris Haynes (ESPN), is the existing rule that keeps the media away from players family and friends for privacy reasons. It is now strongly enforced at Staples Center because there is a lot more interest this season.
I have had the fortunate opportunity to be a family friend of a WNBA assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury. My family and I get postgame passes to sit in the friends and family section behind the opponents basket to wait and see/visit with the specific coach or player.
There are a ton of rules. You must sit and must do it in a seat in a particular section. You cannot sit in the first row of that section. You can’t get up and walk around.
It’s a lot to remember, and this is just for the opponents friends and family at STAPLES, not the Sparks. I can only imagine the rules at a Lakers game.
For 10 years and counting, I have gotten these passes. I don’t go as media, but I do find out a lot about the players and their friends and families. Diana Taurasi, for instance, has a ton of family and they all come and speak Italian, it’s a great Italian love fest after each game.
Los Angeles Lakers
LaVar Ball and his fellow parents and friends of players are not permitted to give on-court interviews. But somehow after the home opener against the rival Clippers, Ball did just that. But that was the first and last time he was able to give an on-court interview.
As the season has gone on, LaVar Ball began speaking up about his son Lonzo questioning the Lakers coaches and players.
Hanyes apparently had access to this section of people at a Lakers game and had the opportunity to talk to LaVar Ball.
Ball questioned Walton’s decision making, “He basically questioned Luke Walton’s decision to call a timeout late in a regulation game against the golden state warriors in which they lost in overtime too — he said Julius Randle, that was a critical play where he should have passed the ball up to his son for the game-winning shot.”
Hanyes said that Ball gets more attention than other parents, and it starts a division in the locker room.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report was also able to get some quotes on Luke Walton’s coaching of Lonzo from his dad. We don’t know where Pincus was when he got these quotes. It is a great read where LaVar basically says the Lakers are soft on his son, but I can see how the Lakers wouldn’t be happy with this stuff being out there. Luke Walton had to respond, and I’m sure that wasn’t fun.
Arash Markazi was asked to move recently, and he wasn’t even in the friends and family area, he was just close to it.
They’ve been enforcing this rule since the first game of the preseason, no doubt knowing media interest in LaVar could be an issue postgame. But it’s not just him. I was catching up with a friend near the family section two minutes after a recent game and was told I had to move. https://t.co/jdURZ8fTFY
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) December 4, 2017
Ramona Shelburne, my go-to for Lakers official news (ESPN), was disappointed because, like me, she loves to get to know the friends and families of the players. It’s why I pursued sports broadcasting, to find out the story behind the athlete, to let those who care about them and the athlete to tell their story, instead of someone else.
I can’t tell you how much great insight I have gotten before an interview with n athlete or a coach that made the interview that much more interesting.
Here is her Twitter commentary:
Basically there are areas at Staples where players families sit or congregate. They're public areas that anyone can go to. So it's always been hard for to enforce this policy. Most arena security only steps in when someone (fan/journalist) is too aggressive with a family member.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 4, 2017
Personally, I'm concerned about this turn because I've found it great to get to know players' families over the years. Most are fine chatting with media so long as it's not invasive. Some of our best stories get done because of these relationships & conversations.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 4, 2017
Making it harder to talk to LaVar is one thing. There's a huge scene around him that must be controlled by security. All good. There's plenty of ways to reach LaVar ;) I worry about the closing off of other conversations with players families/agents/scouts who are in same area.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 4, 2017
As for the Staples Center policy being cited. We've all known about it. Most arenas have a similar policy. It gives arena staff the cause needed to step in and cut off media or fans who seem to be bothering family/agents. Mostly it's not enforced because it's not needed.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 4, 2017
Ramona brings up a great point; it is the media who caused all this in the first place or at least have a role in it. In other words, the few media folks who care about the people they are interviewing and aren’t just trying to get a story out that may damage the player or coach, are part of the problem.
Salacious stories, quotes, outtakes, and other TMZ type paparazzi reporters want views and views alone and have entirely glommed on to every word LaVar Ball speaks.
The media bears responsibility for this as well. As long as we, and yes I said we, keep sticking cameras and microphones in his face, LaVar will talk. It's on us to be more selective as disciplined about that too. Problem is there's a lot of us, so everyone wants their time.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 4, 2017
Next: 50 Greatest Players In Lakers Franchise History
In other news, LaVar just pulled out or removed his second son, LiAngelo Ball, from of UCLA. Gelo had never even been able to play one game for the Bruins. Per Jeff Goodman, Ball told ESPN, “We are exploring other options with Gelo, he’s out of there.” More fun stuff for Ball in the Family which airs on Facebook.