LaVar Ball blames UCLA loss on 'three white guys' because their 'foot speed is too slow'

LaVar Ball revealed on Thursday that his son, Lonzo, pulled his hamstring in UCLA’s season-ending Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky last month. But according to the Orange Country Register, the injury isn’t the only thing LaVar is blaming for the loss.

LaVar said that Lonzo’s white teammates, likely referring to starters TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford and Thomas Welsh, were too slow and unathletic to make up for Lonzo’s hamstring injury.

“Realistically you can’t win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow,” LaVar told the Register. “I told Lonzo – ‘One of these games you might need to go for 30 or 40 points.’ It turned out that was the one game. Then once they get to the Elite 8, they’re right there.”

Leaf, Alford and Welsh combined for 39 points in the loss. Lonzo scored 10 points while shooting 4-for-10 from the field and 1-for-6 from 3-point range. He also had four turnovers to go along with eight assists. De’Aaron Fox, who played across from Ball for much of the night, scored 39 points for Kentucky.

Earlier in the season, LaVar had guaranteed that the Bruins would be taking home the national championship trophy, so naturally, he had to come up with some reason why his statement went unfulfilled.

Lonzo did not mention the injury in post-game interviews, but was walking with a hitch by the end of the game. The bum hamstring wasn’t the first injury of the season for the eldest Ball brother; he also jammed his thumb in the postseason.

Immediately following the loss, Lonzo declared for the 2017 NBA draft.