On Thursday, Ball offered an eyebrow-raising explanation for that 86-75 setback, in which Lonzo had one of the poorest games of his otherwise sensational freshman season, scoring 10 points, with eight assists and four turnovers.

“Realistically you can’t win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow,” Ball told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

“I told Lonzo, ‘One of these games you might need to go for 30 or 40 points,’” Ball continued. “It turned out that was the one game. Then once they get to the Elite Eight, they’re right there.”

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Three of UCLA’s five starters were white: forwards TJ Leaf and Thomas Welsh and guard Bryce Alford, who combined for 39 points on 15-of-28 shooting against Kentucky. Meanwhile, Lonzo Ball’s point guard counterpart, Wildcats freshman De’Aaron Fox, had one of his best games of the season, scoring 39 points on 13-of-20 shooting, with four assists.

Fox almost literally ran circles around Ball, but the latter’s outspoken (to say the least) father had an explanation for that as well. “People thought [Lonzo] was giving up, but he popped his hamstring,” Ball said. “He said, ‘I was trying to run, but my hamstring was pulled.’ But he’s never going to make excuses.”

Leaf, another freshman who is expected to join Ball in the NBA this year, and Alford led the Bruins in scoring this season, with Ball third. Meanwhile, LaVar Ball seemingly spent the season leading the nation in attention-grabbing quotes, including:

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Meanwhile, Lonzo Ball, who has a more low-key demeanor than his father but has been similarly forthright in expressing his self-confidence, offered his own noteworthy remarks Thursday.

When asked on ESPN if he’d rather be selected No. 1 overall in the draft or be taken by his home town Lakers, Ball said, “I’m gonna go with the Lakers.” Ball had recently claimed that he was “better” than Markelle Fultz, the Washington freshman guard widely expected to be the first player drafted.

“I’m a family dude,” Ball explained Thursday. “All my family’s in L.A., so to be able to play in front of them, you know, I think that would mean more to me.”