LaVar Ball predicts the Lakers will win 50 games next season

LaVar Ball has been in the news again recently with LiAngelo Ball, the younger brother of Lonzo Ball, preparing for the 2018 NBA draft. The middle Ball brother will get a workout with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, but unsurprisingly, not all of the headlines coming from LaVar in the wake of that workout have been positive.

But in an interview with Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype at the Pro Basketball Combine,— a secondary draft combine for prospects that didn’t get an invite to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago — Ball sounded optimistic about the Lakers’ future, saying he expects them to improve their win total dramatically next season.

While LiAngelo mostly kept to himself and focused on showcasing his game, LaVar chatted with other prospects, media and the event’s staffers about a wide range of topics. He talked about how the Los Angeles Lakers could beat the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series right now. He explained how his oldest son, Lonzo Ball, will lead L.A. to 50 wins next year.

LaVar has been off on just about every prediction he’s had for Lonzo and the Lakers so far from Lonzo leading to the Lakers to the playoffs to Lonzo winning Rookie of the Year. It should also be noted that this isn’t the first time LaVar has projected the Lakers to win at least 50 games.

In an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” in September, Ball predicted the Lonzo would lead Los Angeles to “50-plus wins.” The Lakers would ultimately fall 15 short of that number.

It would take a lot for the Lakers to get to 50 wins next season, including a breakout sophomore season from Lonzo, but it’s not impossible. The Philadelphia 76ers made the unbelievable jump from 28 wins in 2017 to 52 wins in 2018 thanks to their own rising stars.

LaVar has been wrong plenty of times before, but for the Lakers’ sake, let’s all hope he’s right on the mark this time around.