NBA dad LaVar Ball reveals what led to leg amputation: 'It could all have been prevented'
LaVar Ball, the charismatic father of NBA guards Lonzo and LaMelo Ball, as well as budding star rapper LiAngelo Ball, recently opened up about what caused the need for a large portion of his right leg to be amputated.
The eldest Ball said complications with his diabetes ultimately led to the procedure being performed on his right foot, and then doctors informed him that more surgery was needed to remove more of his right leg.
Ball told SLAM that he got an infection in his right foot, and it "started spreading through my blood due to not paying attention to my diabetes."
At first, Ball said that doctors were trying to avoid amputation, but after their previous remedies didn't work, they had no other option.
"They cut off my foot," Ball told the magazine. "Then, they said, 'We gotta go almost knee-high for another surgery.'"
Ball needed three different surgeries to alleviate the problem, and four blood transfusions were necessary as well.
As one might expect with such a serious surgery, and the rest-of-life impact of it, Ball's mindset was bleak.
"It made me think, 'Man, just kill me and let me go about my business,'" he admitted. "It made me think that maybe it's time for me to shut it down."
Ball said that his sons played a large factor in fighting through this tough health moment, and it seems to have worked.
Ball's joking personality started to show on social media, as he was posting TikTok's saying he had the ability to grow his foot back.
But this moment in Ball's life has led to an unfortunate lesson.
"Get your checkups," Ball encouraged those reading. "Do what you're supposed to do. If you don't have insurance, go to urgent care. Because I'm going to tell you this, a little amputation and a little of this, it could all have been prevented."
Ball's celebrity over the years hasn't come without controversy, starting when his eldest son, Lonzo, burst onto the scene as a high NBA Draft prospect at UCLA. He eventually went No. 2 overall in the draft.
During that time, Ball said that he would beat Michael Jordan 1-on-1, while also making WWE appearances. But his undeniable confidence in his son's success ultimately came true, as all three of his sons ended up in the league in some capacity. But LaMelo, the youngest of the three, is undoubtedly the best player as he headlines the Charlotte Hornets in his fifth NBA season.
LiAngelo recently saw a smash hit with his rap song "Tweaker," which legendary artist Lil Wayne recently remixed. He performed that and more at Rolling Loud music festival in Los Angeles this past weekend.
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