Lonzo Ball: Is the Big Baller Brand business going bad?
By Ronald Agers
The common narrative we all can relate to: Uncle Sam!
According to ESPN reports, the Ball family’s financial adviser warned the family in an email that their taxes could not be finished based on the fact that $1.5 million dollars had to be accounted for first. That warning was given in October.
LaVar Ball did not deal with that situation until recently due to the fact that he was overseas dealing with his sons playing in Lithuania. Despite constant inquiries about the situation from Lonzo asking to check into the matter, LaVar got to the matter too late.
Some more tax issues were brought into question by Lonzo Ball’s personal manager related to the family’s Facebook reality show, “Ball in the Family”, which Foster was seen on in multiple episodes.
One of those episodes could easily be used as evidence in the court of law if Foster is indicted on charges. Foster was seen consulting LaVar Ball in a discussion why the players in Ball’s startup basketball league had not gotten paid.
Here’s an example of one player’s problems.
Former JBA player Brandon Phillips (@itsbphilly) tells me the league only paid him about 1/3 of what he was promised.
— Thomas Duffy (@TJDhoops) August 16, 2018
Had to pay for his own bags on every flight, so he saved nothing.
Owed two more checks but nobody’s returning his calls.
Gave up his eligibility for ~$1000.
Never said anything about Lavar ball, he wasn’t traveling with us. The league has been great to a lot of kids. But in my case not so much and i don’t know what players you’ve talked to but i can provide screenshots of players on my team who also got cut backing up my statements.
— Brandon Phillips (@itsbphilly) August 16, 2018
It wasn’t based on skill or anything biased, we were told that if we had to pay for our bags we would be reimbursed at end of the season and i just haven’t been reimbursed
— Brandon Phillips (@itsbphilly) August 16, 2018
Yes but i was cut after 4 games and it has been over a month Alan and other JBA representatives ive reached out to have stopped texting emailing and calling me back
— Brandon Phillips (@itsbphilly) August 16, 2018
Now to put this proper perspective, LaVar Ball wanted to start an alternative basketball league under the Big Baller Brand umbrella. With this being a pro league, if any of the players participated, they automatically lose their eligibility with the NCAA to play college ball.
Foster has started doing the same practice Brandon Phillips is talking about with ESPN when they tried to speak with him about the allegations. Foster’s whereabouts are unknown as of this writing.