Facebook is now for big ballers.
“Ball in the Family” — a new original series chronicling the most prominent family in hoops, including Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball and his boisterous father LaVar — is set to debut on Watch, Facebook’s new content platform, on Thursday.
The Ball family has been on a meteoric rise in the last 12 months, going from the LA suburb of Chino Hills to UCLA to the NBA. Along the way, Lonzo has dazzled fans with his passing ability, while his younger brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, have become social media sensations with their long-range bombing. Yet many would argue LaVar, the ringleader of it all, has been the main attraction, between his outlandish boasting (he said he can beat Michael Jordan 1-on-1!) and notorious interviews. Oh yeah, they also launched their own sportswear business, Big Baller Brand, and are charging a cool $495 for their first sneakers.
Now, you can add TV stars to their resume.
“We wanted to give our fans an unfiltered look into our lives and show them a side of us that isn’t typically seen,” said LaVar Ball. “We have a big community of fans on Facebook, so we’re excited our series is going to be on Watch.”
As part of its initial push into original content, Facebook partnered with a Hollywood heavyweight on “Ball in the Family.” The series is being produced by reality TV powerhouse Bunim/Murray Productions, the company behind “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” “The Real World,” and “Project Runway.”
“We are thrilled to work with the Ball family to share their remarkable story at a pivotal moment in their lives,” said Gil Goldschein, Chairman and CEO Bunim/Murray Productions. “For fans, it will be a front row seat to how the family deals with the sky-high expectations heaped upon it.”
As you’d expect from any classic Bunim/Murray vehicle, the trailer for “Ball in the Family” teases plenty of laughs, but also some heavy moments as well. For starters: LaVar tears into LaMelo following an AAU game, Lonzo deals with his girlfriend wondering about their future, and Tina Ball — the matriarch of the family — is seen recovering from a stroke.
Still, there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of vintage LaVar-isms on the show, either. “My three boys are the best ballplayers I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” the proud patriarch claims at one point. That’s the good stuff viewers will be looking for.
The first two episodes of “Ball in the Family” will drop on Facebook Watch Thursday, and will move to Sundays starting on Sept. 10. Check out the trailer below.