Charles Barkley explained why he doesn’t like LaVar Ball “plain and simple” and called him a horrible father on Wednesday for exploiting his children’s talents because he has none of his own.
The former NBA star, who has butted heads with the eccentric father of Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball before, joined ESPN Radio’s “Golic & Wingo” on Wednesday and really let him have it.
“I just feel sadness that the media — CNN, ESPN — has given this guy a platform,” Barkley began. “He represents everything that is bad about sports. It’s all about him.”
for Charles Barkley’s take on LaVar Ball. pic.twitter.com/i6bLWaZ4PG
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“I just feel bad for those kids because everybody talk about, ‘he might be a good father, this and that’ . . . No he’s not, he’s just exploiting his kids,” Barkley jabbed. “He’s all about Big Baller Brand. He has no foreseeable talent, he’s just trying to make money on his kids. And I just feel sadness for those kids because they’re going do whatever he tells them to do and I just don’t like the guy at all plain and simple.
“And don’t tell me he’s a good father,” Barkley continued. “Just because you exploit your kids, trying to make money because you have no talent, that does not make you a good father.”
Ball’s oldest son Lonzo is currently a rookie on the Los Angeles Lakers and, thanks to his father, he has players going at his head every time he steps on the court. Ball recently pulled his two other sons out of school and had them sign contracts to play professionally in Lithuania earlier this week. Barkley said that he wished they had signed somewhere further away and LaVar had gone with them.
“I wish there was a place farther away from America they could send him,” Barkley said. “I don’t know where Lithuania is, but if there is another place farther away, I would love it.”
But, Lonzo is by far and away Ball’s most marketable son. So you better believe he’s not going to leave his oldest son behind.