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Arrogant or Confident: LaVar Ball is the basketball dad to watch during March Madness

By Alex Butler
UCLA Bruins freshman Lonzo Ball. (UCLA Basketball/Twitter)
UCLA Bruins freshman Lonzo Ball. (UCLA Basketball/Twitter)

March 13 (UPI) -- Basketball dad LaVar Ball is living in a fantasy world, and we are all a part of it.

The father of Lonzo, LaMelo, and LiAngelo is extra confident, borderline arrogant, about the games of his three sons. Lonzo stars at UCLA, while his younger brothers are big high school prospects.

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But while he has pushed the narrative that his college son is better than Stephen Curry, he hasn't talked much about his own skills. But on Monday, he told USA Today's Josh Peter that he could beat Michael Jordan on the court.

"Back in my heyday, I would kill Michael Jordan one-on-one," Ball told Peter.

"I would just back (Jordan) in and lift him off the ground and call a foul every time he fouls me when I do a jump hook to the right or the left," Ball said. "He cannot stop me one-on-one. He better make every shot 'cause he can't go around me. He's not fast enough. And he can only make so many shots outside before I make every bucket under the rim."

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LaVar Ball averaged just 2.2 points per game in his only year of college ball at Washington State.

He also mentioned Monday that he believes his sons are worth the biggest shoe deal in sports history.

Ball is a self-employed personal trainer and his wife is a middle school physical education teacher. The two older Ball brothers each drive $100,000 BMWs.

He said the talented trio should be able to cash in for a billion dollars between them all.

"A billion dollars, it has to be there," Ball said. "That's our number, a billion, straight out of the gate. And you don't even have to give it to me all up front. Give us $100 mil over 10 years."

Ball runs the "Big Baller Brand" website, inspired by the family from Chino Hills, California.

"Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo Ball are basketball players with Championship pedigree," the website says. "We are always striving for excellence through strong work ethic, passion, and commitment to win as a team. Our company goal and purpose is to deliver the same qualities into the brand. We are dedicated to produce the highest quality products to build brand loyalty."

"Our mission is to provide a clothing line that is a reflection of what every Big Baller in the world expresses through what they wear. Trust Big Baller Brand as a Lifestyle for the latest in apparel fashion and design for any occasion. Welcome to our family."

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The Big Baller Brand website features various items of clothing for sale and videos of Ball's three sons.

Ball told FOX 11's Liz Habib that he wouldn't be attending any Bruins tournament games until the Final Four.

"I told Lonzo I'll meet up with him in Arizona for Final Four...I'm not going to anything until the Final Four," Ball said. "I'll be with my younger son handling business for this state title we're about to get."

The Bruins battle Kent State at 9:57 p.m. Friday, March 17 at the Golden 1 Center in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball tournament.

Ball averaged 14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this season. He is projected to be a top-2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

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