Father's Day is coming up this weekend, and though you don't need a Hallmark holiday to show your dad some appreciation, it's as good a time as any to show pops some love.
Unless of course you're Lonzo Ball, and you finally have an opportunity to roast your dad in front of an audience of millions. Though he and LaVar Ball claim to be extraordinarily close, a father and his teenage son are always going to butt heads from time to time, so Foot Locker helped Lonzo tear his dad apart in a new Father's Day commercial.
Flanked by his peers in the 2017 NBA Draft class, Ball highlighted how different his relationship with his father is compared to most others. Listening to him run through the list of crazy things LaVar has done is hysterical, and it shows a side of him we haven't seen much of yet.
Though we ultimately won't know how it impacts his career until the draft rolls around, the backlash from his father's antics has hit Lonzo hard in recent months. Most prospects are being discussed on their merit as players, and despite Ball crushing it at UCLA last season, a lot of the discussion has centered around his father instead of his skills.
But with one brilliant commercial, Ball appears to have converted many of his critics. The new spot is getting rave reviews on social media.
![LaVar and Lonzo Ball.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 203 115"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This is spectacular, and a really smart way for Lonzo to take back some control regarding his own narrative. https://t.co/fKozTNRxLL
— nick wright (@getnickwright) June 14, 2017
This is funny. (Fishing line is great) Also strategically brilliant. Most we've learned about Lonzo's personality in one minute. https://t.co/xHleTr1GR3
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) June 14, 2017
Wow. Do I love Lonzo Ball after watching this 60 second commercial? I might. https://t.co/g0OhKkXmva
— Phil Rapisardo (@philrapisardo) June 14, 2017
Really hope more people A: get to know Lonzo and B: don’t hold his dad in place him. Lonzo is a funny, respectful kid. https://t.co/Mj6p6Pvd1y
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) June 14, 2017
I now want the Celtics to take Lonzo Ball number one overall. https://t.co/pJkh0AWdxy
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 14, 2017
I just became a Lonzo stan until the day I die, folks. https://t.co/bziOyKJwJJ
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) June 14, 2017
Never has anyone managed to completely flip public perception in a matter of about 25 seconds like this. https://t.co/wta2sOaSZz
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) June 14, 2017
Of course, none of this will matter to Ball or his father if he goes tumbling down the draft slide. NBA teams aren't going to react to commercials when they have way better intel to work with and hours of game tape to watch.
Still, it shows Lonzo is willing to lighten the mood and use his dad as a punchline, and now it makes sense that his teammates and coaches at UCLA rave about him. Good luck in the league, kid.
After checking out the commercial, you should go here to check out the interview we did with Lonzo, where he talks about everything from his dad's chances of beating Michael Jordan 1-on-1 to his dreams of becoming a rapper.