LaVar Ball makes first public comments since having foot amputated
LaVar Ball makes first public comments since having foot amputated
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LaVar Ball, the CEO of Big Baller Brand and father of Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball, has acknowledged reports that he recently had his right foot amputated.
Appearing in a video posted to TikTok user Primby's account, Ball even makes light of his surgery: "Everyone heard what happened. And y'all can take my foot, but you know what you can't take? That Primby account." He continues by singing along to his son LiAngelo's recent hit single "Tweaker."
TMZ first reported last Wednesday that the procedure occurred after LaVar Ball suffered "a serious medical issue." The outlet circulated an image of Ball using a wheelchair with a bandage over his right leg.
It's not clear what medical issue led to Ball's amputation.
His youngest son, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, posted a photo of the two of them on Instagram last week saying, "i love u pops".
The other two sons – Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, 27, and social media star LiAngelo Ball, 26 – have not commented publicly on their dad's health.
LaVar Ball used to be a mainstay in the headlines, regularly hyping up his sons and showing off his larger-than-life personality. But Ball has largely remained out of the public eye in recent years.
Ball was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended Canoga Park High School, where he played basketball, football and ran track. He went on to play one season at West Los Angeles College and later transferred to Washington State, an NCAA Division I school. He averaged 2.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 26 games (six starts) in 1987-88. Ball transferred again after one season to Cal State Los Angeles, an NCAA Division II school where he met his future wife, Tina Slatinsky. They married in 1997.
Following his basketball career, Ball shifted back to football and played tight end at Long Beach City College for one season. He signed with the New York Jets as a free agent defensive end in 1994. He was on the Jets practice squad in 1994 and 1995 under head coaches Pete Carroll and Rich Kotite. He also briefly spent time on the Carolina Panthers' practice squad, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Despite telling USA TODAY Sports in 2017 that he "would kill Michael Jordan one-on-one" in his prime, Ball's own athletic prowess didn't make headlines. It was his boisterous personality and over-the-top promotion of his sons that captivated (or infuriated) the nation, depending on who you ask.
The Ball brothers and their outspoken dad burst onto the scene in 2016 when Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo led Chino Hills High School to a perfect 35-0 record, a state championship and No. 1 overall ranking in the nation. Ball parlayed the family's fame into the sports apparel company Big Baller Brand, which he co-founded in 2016.
Ball is not the only member of the family who has dealt with medical adversity. Lonzo Ball, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, was sidelined nearly three years with a recurring left knee injury that required three surgeries. He returned to the court for the Chicago Bulls in October after last playing for the team on Jan. 14, 2022.
Tina Ball, mother of the Ball brothers, suffered a stroke in February 2017.
"I just deal with it. Whatever it is," Ball told ESPN at the time. "Things are gonna happen in life. Either you are gonna help do something about it or you just gonna let it happen and destroy you."
Contributing: Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
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