LaVar Ball: NBA patriarch has foot amputated due to ‘serious medical issue’
The basketball world has been rocked by reports that one of the NBA’s outspoken characters has had his foot amputated after suffering a “serious medical issue”.
LaVar Ball, father of Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball and former NBA player LiAngelo Ball, reportedly underwent a procedure to remove his right foot, according to TMZ Sports.
The 57-year-old is reportedly in “great spirits” and is doing well after the procedure. No further details were disclosed.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Ball and his sons are yet to publicly address the reports and no further details have been disclosed.
The Ball family patriarch made a name for himself for being an outspoken champion of his three sons’ basketball careers, even creating the Big Baller Brand, which has created signature shoes for the trio.
LaVar has often courted controversy for his headline-grabbing claims about his boys, who he had previously predicted would all play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
His eldest son, Lonzo, 27, was the second overall pick by the Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft. In 2019, after he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, LaVar told ESPN “it’ll be the worst move the Lakers every did in their life and they’ll never win another championship, (I) guarantee it”.
“They’re going to regret it. I’m going to have fun with it,” he said at the time. Lonzo was later traded to the Chicago Bulls in 2021.
Ball and the Bulls agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension in February after a knee injury in 2022 sidelined him for more than 1000 days.
His youngest son, 23-year-old LaMelo was the third overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was named 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and named in the NBA All-Rookie First Team that year, too. A year later, he made his first All-Star game.
LiAngelo, 26, last played for Mexican club Astros de Jalisco and has since embarked on a rap career; he performed his latest song ‘Tweaker” at the NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco recently.
While LaVar has toned down his headline-grabbing antics, he has never given up his spot as his son’s #1 cheerleader.
