LaVar Ball is already having an effect on Lonzo’s career that some in the NBA world are worried about

“Yeah, you shut the m—–f—– down. And your check still ain’t going to go no higher than what it is … Who is Patrick Beverley? He played all last year and nobody said nothing about him. Now we are looking at your first game. Why? Because Lonzo’s name is attached to it … Nobody is going to care about you. But you put my son’s name in it, and you put my name in it, now you got some action and you got some people talking.”

LaVar also chided Beverley for not having his own basketball shoe, as Lonzo does with the Ball family company, Big Baller Brand.

LaVar’s comments only figure to further motivate future opponent’s of Lonzo’s. His outspoken ways have put a target on Lonzo. In fact, Sacramento Kings rookie point guard De’Aaron Fox, who faced off against Lonzo twice in college, told Sports Illustrated in June that NBA point guards will go after Lonzo aggressively, even naming Beverley as an example.

“He put a target on his neck,” Fox said of LaVar’s effect on Lonzo.

“Not just the great point guards. Every point guard. Like Patrick Beverley’s not going to do it offensively, but he’s gonna be like, ‘Yo this kid’s not about to get past halfcourt.'”

Prior to the draft, as some of LaVar’s outlandish comments made the rounds on sports talk shows — from claiming he’d beat Michael Jordan one-on-one to claiming Lonzo would beat Stephen Curry — there was debate about how he would affect Lonzo’s draft stock. NBA insiders said teams wouldn’t worry about LaVar so long as Lonzo can play.

But prior to the draft, the Lakers apparently had enough concern that they talked to LaVar one-on-one about his impact. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported in July that Lakers president Magic Johnson asked LaVar how he’ll involved he’ll be in Lonzo’s career. Both Johnson and LaVar said LaVar made an honest confession.

Johnson said of the conversation: “He said, ‘Earvin, look, I’m not following my son. I’m not going to be hanging out in L.A. I’m going to be training these young kids [his other sons].'”

LaVar recalled saying: “‘As far as training my boy, this is as far as I can take him. I’ll leave it up to you to take him further. You can get him better with the film time and the coaching. You can take him to another level.'”

LaVar has been somewhat quieter in the months following the draft, and he may well be staying away from the team — his son’s first NBA game seems like a noteworthy exception — but after one game, he’s back in the news and taking shots at NBA players. Beverley is an instigator on the court, but other players would likely take his side over LaVar’s.

Lonzo has discussed his father’s outspoken ways before, saying he’s always been vocal and brash, but that he wouldn’t be in the NBA without him.

NBA veterans going after rookies is nothing new, but, as Fox said, Lonzo does seem to have a bigger target than usual. If LaVar continues speaking up as he did after the first game, that target only figures to grow.