LaVar Ball Denies Role in Firing of Sons' Chino Hills HS Basketball Coach

Chino Hills High School let go basketball coach Stephan Gilling last week, but LaVar Ball denies any involvement in changes to his sons' team.

"He's a really good guy, but I'm just not sure he was experienced enough," Ball said, per Jeff Goodman of ESPN. "But I wasn't the reason why he's gone. It was protocol that the job is open every year."

Gilling was in his first year with the program but was fired after leading the team to a 30-3 season.

Lonzo Ball was a key part of the school's 35-0 run two seasons ago under coach Steve Baik, who departed for another local school at year's end. The point guard left for UCLA and has since declared for the NBA draft.

However, his brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball remained with the high school program under Gilling, who was an assistant the year before. What ensued was a season full of conflict with their father, LaVar, who would come into the locker room and try to overrule the coach from the bleachers, per Andrew Joseph of For the Win.

"I run Chino Hills! I run UCLA, about to run the NBA," Ball reportedly told the players, per Gilling.

LiAngelo will follow in Lonzo's footsteps to UCLA next season, but LaMelo, who also committed to UCLA, has two more years at the high school level.