Facebook has provided a platform for LiAngelo Ball to explain what happened in China, with cameras from the reality show Ball in the Family taking viewers inside the hotel room where he was forced to stay following a shoplifting incident in November. In an episode released Sunday, Ball was shown huddling up with his father LaVar and speaking about a letter he wrote to Chinese authorities.
LiAngelo Ball eventually withdrew from UCLA while being suspended from the basketball team following the incident and turned pro. Now about start playing in Lithuania for Prienai-Birstonas Vytautus alongside younger brother LaMelo, it’s Facebook that will stream their first games this week.
Prienai-Birstonas Vytautas has announced that it is creating the “Big Baller Brand Challenge Games,” a series of five exhibition games against other pro teams in Lithuania that will mark the debut of the brothers. The team has partnered with Facebook and Ballislife to have the games starting Tuesday broadcast in the U.S. on Facebook Watch and globally on the Ballislife TV Facebook page.
The Ball family has done much to create its brand, with 1.2 million followers to the Ball in the Family show on Facebook Watch. Ballislife’s Facebook Live broadcast of an AAU game in July that included LaMelo drew 1.3 million views.
Now the Balls — with the reality TV cameras in tow — will on Facebook live from Lithuania:
- Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1:30pm ET: Vytautas vs. Kauno Žalgiris-2
- Monday, Jan. 15, 1:30pm ET: Vytautas vs. Vilniaus Lietuvos-rytas-2
- Friday, Jan. 17, 2:00pm ET: Vytautas vs. Šakių Vytis
- Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2:00pm ET: Vytautas vs. Alytaus Dzukija
- Sunday, Jan. 28, 2:00pm ET: Vytautas vs. Jonavos Jonava
Update: Four Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL) games scheduled to feature the Ball brothers will also be broadcast on Facebook Watch via the Ballislife TV page.
- Saturday, Jan. 13, 10:20am ET: Vytautas at Lietkabelis Panevezys
- Sunday, Jan. 21, 12:30pm ET: Vytautas vs. Pieno Zvaigzdes
- Saturday, Jan. 27, 1:00pm ET: Vytuatuas vs. Juventus
- Sunday, Feb. 11, TBD: – Vytautas at Siauliai