Watch: Steve Kerr Calls LaVar Ball the 'Kardashian of the NBA'
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr continues to wonder how media is changing in its coverage of the NBA and continued reporting on LaVar Ball.
Over the weekend, ESPN published a story in which he said that Luke Walton has no control over the Los Angeles Lakers locker room. Walton and members of the Lakers denied the comments made by Ball. Rick Carlisle, the National Basketball Coaches Association president, said the story was "a disgrace."
On Monday, Kerr said he was thinking about the recent ESPN layoffs and how the society has moved from "covering the game and getting closer to sensationalized news. It's not even news, it's just complete nonsense."
In November, Kerr asked reporters if the media could stop covering LaVar Ball amid his feud with President Donald Trump. Ball refused to thank President Trump for assisting in getting his son LiAngelo Ball and two other UCLA basketball players out of China following their arrest for shoplifting. Kerr says that reporters have been told by their bosses that they have to cover Ball.
"Somewhere, I guess it's in Lithuania, LaVar Ball is laughing at all of us," Kerr told reporters. "People are eating out of his hands for no apparent reason other than he's become like the Kardashian of the NBA or something and that sells. That's what's true in politics, in entertainment and now in sports. It doesn't matter if there's any substance involved with an issue, it's just can we make it really interesting for no apparent reason. There's nothing interesting about that story. Do you know how many parents of my players are probably been home going 'Why isn't he playing my kid?' And yet we're sticking a microphone in his face because apparently he gets ratings. I don't know who cares but people care and they must care or ESPN would be spending whatever they're spending to send reporters to Lithuania."
Watch his comments below:
LaVar Ball made the comments in Lithuania, where his sons LiAngelo and LaMelo are getting ready to play for BC Prienu Vytautas.
