On Thursday, everyone’s favorite loud-mouthed, self-aggrandizing helicopter parent LaVar Ball took his roadshow to the place it was always destined to wind up: ESPN’s First Take.
Ball appeared beside Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim on ESPN’s most boisterous show, and he more than held his own, as Smith repeatedly grilled him on why he was so confident in his son Lonzo’s ability and how in the world he thinks he could beat Michael Jordan one-on-one.
Here’s a highlight reel:
In so many ways, First Take is the ideal venue for LaVar Ball. It’s a show where you get to say outlandish things with a straight face, while everyone knows you don’t really mean exactly what you’re spewing. A show where you can call someone an imbecile and have them act offended only to shake it off by the next segment. A show where lacking a sense of reality can actually be a benefit.
And, best of all, it’s a place where Ball can blab to people who enjoy blabbing, while the rest of us either laugh or tune it out.
About Alex Putterman
Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.