LaVar Ball says he's 'hard to kill,' recounts foot amputation, health scare, sons' success
Approximately one month after having his right foot amputated, LaVar Ball provided details of what caused the serious medical issue and the process of having his foot removed.
Ball explained that not taking proper care of his diabetes led to the amputation in a first-person account for SLAM magazine. What began as an infection began spreading from his toes to his foot and eventually required the removal of a part of his lower leg.
"First, they cut off a couple of toes. Then they cut off my foot. Then they said, We gotta go almost knee high for another surgery," Ball described. "Three surgeries. And then there were also the blood transfusions. Not one, not two, not three, four different times."
Lavar Ball reportedly had his foot amputated after suffering a serious medical issue. 💔🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/bNKjinigv2
— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) February 19, 2025
Despite the perilous development, Ball appeared to be maintain his swaggering demeanor in his first public appearance since the procedure. He was a bit more humble and reflective in his column, admitting that the ordeal of surgeries and transfusions left him feeling like he wanted to "shut it down."
Ultimately, Ball says his family — and the success of his sons — inspired him to continue with treatment. Most of this was happening as LiAngelo Ball's song "Tweaker" became a huge hit, in addition to LaMelo Ball's ascendance to stardom with the Charlotte Hornets and Lonzo Ball's comeback from a serious knee injury.
LaMelo's IG Story with LaVar Ball: "I love u pops" pic.twitter.com/QAXXilNnRa
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 20, 2025
However, Ball also used his platform to inform and warn readers not to neglect health concerns as he did.
"So, now I'm telling folks, if you got diabetes, don't just be like, 'Oh, that's just diabetes,'" he said. "I still eat my sugar, but I pay attention to it and do it in moderation. Get your checkups, do what you're supposed to do. If you don't have insurance, go to urgent care."
"[...] I realized through this process that if you stop trying to waste time feeling sorry for yourself and figure out what the next step is, then you'd be able to better deal with any life challenge," Ball added. "I look at it like this, 'OK, my foot is gone, but my brain is still here.' So, I might not be able to move as fast as I did and do other things like that, but what's the next step?"
Ball also said he realized that people his age (57) are dying from cancer. By comparison, his condition seems less dire in his view, especially when he's able to enjoy the success of his sons and his Big Baller Brand.
"For me, it's all about Triple B's, the brand," he said, reminding readers that little has changed for him despite recent medical issues.
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