10 NBA superstars who are not considered superstars

1. Lonzo Ball

Everyone has their own definition of what is an NBA superstar.

Some people put statistical benchmarks in place, believing a player has to score a certain amount of points to earn that label. Some say you have to be the No. 1 option or best player on a team. Some say you have to win at least one championship.

Personally, I think being a superstar involves more than what happens on the court. Fame and celebrity off the court plays a role in the superstar equation, even if that notoriety has little or nothing to do with basketball.

For example, when Lamar Odom was married to Khloe Kardashian, starring in the couple’s reality TV show and getting regular ink in magazines like US Weekly and People, I would say Odom was a superstar — even if a lot of those fans who knew him from his Kardashian dealings had little or no interest in what he was doing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Today, the Lakers have another such superstar on the roster in Lonzo Ball.

The 20-year-old point guard’s rookie season was a mixed bag. Ball produced solid stats — 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game — but also struggled mightily shooting the ball. He made 45.1 percent of his free throws, 30.5 percent of his 3-pointers and 36.0 percent of his field goals.

Ball also missed 30 games due to injuries, and the Lakers missed the playoffs. He was voted to the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team, but a lot of people expected more from the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. Some have even called him a bust, which most reasonable people understand is very premature after just one pro season.

But other than his incredible passing ability, none of that is what gives Lonzo Ball an a legitimate argument to be considered a superstar.

Lonzo could be a superstar because Lonzo is already a mainstream celebrity who is probably one of the 3-5 most polarizing players in the NBA. This is almost entirely a result of his father, LaVar Ball.

When Lonzo arrived at UCLA as a freshman in 2016, he was only popular among hardcore basketball fans who follow the game on the high school level and study recruiting.

By the time his freshman season was over, Lonzo was a household name thanks to LaVar — a media magnet and marketing savant who managed to get himself in front of enough cameras and microphones to turn the entire Ball family into celebrities. LaVar played the popularity and polarization game so well that he’s since launched a successful clothing line and even created a basketball league.

Meanwhile, Lonzo and his younger brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo, are as recognizable as most NBA All-Stars. They have their own reality TV show, their own signature sneakers, and have millions of followers on social media. And LiAngelo and LaMelo aren’t even in the NBA.

Lonzo has reached a level of fame where it seems everything he does — from having a baby to dancing in his hotel room to going out and getting a burger — becomes a headline in the Sports section.

Playing college ball at UCLA certainly raised Lonzo’s profile. So did being the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, and so does playing for the Lakers. Now that he’s on the same team as LeBron, Lonzo will get even more attention.

But it was the off-court element and his family ties that really turned Lonzo into a “superstar” that many NBA fans may not consider a true superstar.