LaVar Ball has filled headlines this summer, giving only the highest praise for his son. Most recently, he’s addressed the comparison to Jason Kidd, claiming Lonzo has the advantage.

LaVar Ball has been setting some incredible standards for his son Lonzo, the number two overall pick in this year’s draft. That includes—and isn’t short of— his son being better than Steph Curry, and eventually surpassing Magic Johnson.

I hope those Big Baller Brand shoes come in larger than life sizes, as this kid’s got some big shoes to fill.

In a radio interview with ESPN LA 710, LaVar was asked his opinion on the Lonzo-Jason Kidd comparison. It doesn’t sit well with him.

That’s somebody’s opinion because my boy is way more athletic than Jason Kidd.”

Ball goes on to say that while Kidd was a great point guard, Lonzo has been bred to win.

“He (Kidd) could have a better first step, and he can jump higher, but he ain’t gonna win like my boy. My boy wins.”

Both Kidd and Ball were products of California basketball in college, and the two guards do have similar size and passing capability. Though Lonzo did lead Chino Hill High School to a state title, and UCLA to a 31-win season, it’s hard to validate such a claim.

Jason Kidd led the (then) New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances, though they lost both. He earned his championship as a pivotal rotation player for the 2011 Dallas Mavericks.



College numbers are the only concrete stats available for now, so a look at both point guards pre-professional careers.

Ball played one year at UCLA, leading the team to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, 6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game.

Kidd played 59 games over two seasons with the University of California. He averaged 14.9 points, 8.4 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per contest. His sophomore season, he received the Pac-12 Player of the Year Award.

Kidd had more time to develop, but the similarities stand. If they mean anything for Lonzo’s future, this kid is going to be good.



Anticipation for Lonzo’s rookie season has been felt beyond the Lakers’ fanbase. He was dominant in the Las Vegas Summer League and earned the MVP award after averaging 16.4 points, 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game.

Now, he has to get out on the court and show he can do it in the pros. Ball and the Lakers will play their season opener on October 19th against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kidd hasn’t responded to Ball’s statement yet, but I’m sure fans all around the league would love to hear his thoughts.