Nike executive George Raveling is – to put it mildly – not a big fan of LaVar Ball:
Wow, veteran Nike exec George Raveling on LaVar Ball: “The worst thing to happen to basketball in the last hundred years.” #sbjwcs
— Michael Smith (@SmittySBJSBD) April 20, 2017
This seems like it may be a hyperbole; there are other good (or bad, rather) candidates for this title (Donald Sterling would like a word). It is hard to argue, however, that the Ball brothers’ outspoken father is good for the sport. Raveling continued, per ThePostGame:
Raveling then added that Lonzo Ball, who is headed to the NBA after one season at UCLA, should get automatic entrance into heaven just for having to deal with LaVar being his father.
“Down the hall, to the left and have a suite, son,” Raveling said as he imagined how Lonzo would be greeted at the pearly gates.
Despite the baggage that is his father, Raveling believes that Lonzo will be a top-three draft pick.
Based on Raveling’s words, it seems that LaVar – who claimed that his sons will seek a shoe deal worth $1 billion, have rubbed Nike the wrong way.
Raveling was a coach in the NCAA for Washington State, Iowa and USC before a car crash ended his career in 1994. He has served as an executive with Nike ever since.
