NBA Coaches Association slams ESPN over LaVar-Walton story

The NBA Coaches Association went after ESPN for publishing comments made by LaVar Ball in regards to Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton.

As expressed in a statement from the NBCA, the piece published by ESPN was "salacious and one-sided" since it did not provide any quotes from players, coaches, or executives within the Lakers organization.

Yesterday’s article by Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com regarding Luke Walton was a salacious one-sided story lacking journalistic integrity. The article attacked Coach Walton on the basis of one person’s unsubstantiated opinion. The story failed to provide quotes or perspectives from any players, or from Lakers management, either named or unnamed, verifying the claims made in the story. The article lacks any of the basic fundamental benchmarks and standards of reliable journalism. It is reprehensible and insulting both to our coaches and to the standards of ESPN.

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It is regrettable and troubling that ESPN was willing to provide a megaphone for a player’s parent anytime he wishes to share his personal opinion. While the Coaches Association does not believe NBA coaches should be immune from criticism, the NBCA demands that ESPN, and our other network partners, work harder to ensure a more objective and balanced account in their coverage.

In the piece, Ball claimed the Lakers were no longer responding to Walton as a coach, and ripped him for being "too young" and that he wasn't "connecting with not one player," among other critiques. That last claim was refuted by Lakers rookie Kyle Kuzma, who said he "loves" playing for Walton.