It’s official. Big Baller Brand has landed in Lithuania, as former UCLA freshman Liangelo Ball, and Chino Hills HS dropout Lamelo Ball, will debut for the Lithuanian squad Vytautas as early as January 13th. The news broke out nearly a month ago that both would head to Europe to play professionally for the same team. This came as a shocker for fans everywhere, as the move to Lithuania was completely out of nowhere. But father LaVar Ball put his foot down and made the bold decision. It’s expected that both will ease into larger minutes with the team over time. According to many, this is nothing near a popularity stunt, but a legitimate decision for their basketball futures. There are certainly some pros and cons towards the situation. For the benefits, this will let both boys put 100% focus on the game of basketball at all times, and eliminate most of the insane spotlight they received in LA, which could eventually impact their play. Additionally, this will give them a huge advantage over other players back in America, as they’ll now be accustomed to the strength and speed of playing at the pro level, compared to the common strength of young players back home, as they’ll certainly encounter this new speed and strength again if they end up making the NBA. Although, there are certainly some cons, starting with the obvious: Is the talent out here good enough? The worst-case scenario is that this plan absolutely busts, as the physical and mental transition could make a huge impact on these players for the worse. Additionally, if the team is not willing to play them minutes over their veterans, the lack of exposure could bite them down the stretch as they could be playing 30+ minutes back home. All in all, this is a massive risk for BBB, but certainly one that could pay off big-time if successful.

 

(P/C: BC Vytautas)