Totally agree on the inevitable media narratives about Lonzo, and it’s really unfortunate and also totally LaVar’s own doing, in my opinion.

And, if Leahy was going over the line herself leading up to what LaVar said, I think it would be fair to say he brought that kind of approach from the media onto himself, and therefore onto his son. It’s very possible (I would say likely) that the criticisms about his business acumen are totally fair, and he will sell fewer shoes and get less money than he would’ve from a major shoe deal. That calls into question other things as well, since as a father his interests should be helping his son, not promoting himself. Personally, I don’t think race factors into those criticisms, but that’s not my place to say and I don’t mean to diminish how it makes you feel.

Having said that, I have to take exception to comment you made about “equals”…I actually don’t think Leahy is the equal of a 6'7", 280 lb former professional football player, and its his responsibility to keep his language and approach to her under control, even if she is provoking and unfairly attacking him (again, I think some of it is fair, but reasonable people can disagree). So if people are reacting a certain way and you think a person treating another as an equal is construed as menacing only because of racist undertones, I would push back that they’re not equal, and LaVar needs to be more careful. He never made any physical gestures, but he has to be aware of how things will play, if he is in fact a master of promotion.