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LaVar Ball is the father of Lamelo Ball, the popular NBA star. LaVar (born 23 October 1967) is a former professional American football player who is widely recognized as a media personality and businessman. Aside from Lamelo, the 56-year-old is also the father of two basketball players, Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball, who are Lamelo Ball’s older brothers.
Ball rose to a higher level of prominence after making controversial statements about his sons’ basketball careers and establishing the Big Baller Brand, a clothing and shoe company. LaVar Ball is a controversial figure in sports, but he is still a supportive and involved parent in his sons’ lives and careers.
Summary of LaVar Ball’s Biography
- Full name: LaVar Christopher Ball
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: 23rd October 1967
- LaVar Ball’s Age: 56 years old
- Ethnicity: Afro-American
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- LaVar Ball’s Wife: Tina Slatinsky
- LaVar Ball’s Children: Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo
- LaVar Ball’s Parents: Anderson and Maria Ball
- Siblings: La France, LaValle, LaRenzo, and Lashon, and two sisters
- LaVar Ball’s Height in Inches: 6 feet 4 inches
- LaVar Ball’s Height in Centimetres: 193 cm
- LaVar Ball’s Weight: 250 Lbs (113kg)
- Famous for: Being the father of three famous basketball players
- LaVar Ball’s Net worth: $4 Million
- LaVar Ball’s Instagram: @lavar
- Twitter: @LavarBall
- Facebook: LaVar Ball
LaVar Ball is 56 Years Old Now
LaVar Ball was born on 23rd October 1967 in Los Angeles, California, U.S., and is currently 56 years old. He is of Afro-American ethnicity and an American national. He grew up in South Los Angeles.
He went to Canoga Park High School in Los Angeles, where he played quarterback and forward on the school’s football and basketball teams respectively. During his time there, he set a school record by grabbing 316 rebounds in a single season. He later went on to play basketball for West Los Angeles College, Washington State, and Cal State Los Angeles.
Aside from sports, LaVar Ball initially wanted to be a US Marshall, so he concentrated on the criminal justice system in college. However, his love for football eventually won.
Who are Lavar Ball’s Parents?
Lavar Ball’s parents are Anderson Ball and Maria Ball. He has four brothers named LaFrance, LaValle, Lorenzo, and LaShon, and two sisters whose names are yet to be known. Although little is known about his family, all his siblings appear to be involved in school sports. Lamar Ball became interested in sports at a young age.
Did LaVar Ball Play in the NFL?
LaVar Ball signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) as a defensive end on 1st May 1994 but did not play any official regular game in the NFL. A year later, he was sent to London Monarchs of the World League of American Football(WLAF). He had 28-yard kick returns in a season with WLAF but had zero catches. Ball failed to make a debut in any official NFL game for the two teams, which made his teammate Kenny McEntyre refer to him as garbage.
Was Lavar Ball in the NBA?
Lavar Ball never played in the NBA, although he was a decent basketball player during his college days. He variously played for schools such as West Los Angeles College, Washington State University, and California State University Los Angeles but never made it to the pros.
Despite this, Lavar has made some outrageous claims, including that he can beat Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant in a one-on-one game. Such claims have caused an uproar, with many not believing him capable of doing what he claimed.
LaVar Ball’s Net Worth
LaVar Ball’s net worth is $4 million, and this is thanks to his success as a businessman. He co-founded Big Baller Brand (BBB), an athletic apparel company, with Alan Foster in 2016. He earned a lot of money from his basketball and football careers and also from being a personal trainer. Ball started promoting the brand on national media in March 2017 and compared it with major shoe companies like Nike and Adidas.
According to recent reports, one of his sons, Lanzo, owns more than half of the company, with LaVar and Alan Foster owning the remainder. Following the launch of the brand, LaVar revealed that the three Bs on the brand’s logo represent each of his sons. To expand the brand’s popularity, he founded the Junior Basketball Association (JBA) in 2017, which is sponsored by Big Baller Brand.
Who are Lavar Ball Sons?
LaVar Ball’s sons are Lonzo, LiAngelo, and Lamelo Ball, and they are all basketball players. Lonzo was born in 1997 and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017 before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019. LiAngelo, 25, played for the Junior Basketball Association but left the team following a shoplifting incident.
Lamelo Ball, on his part, started his NBA career after he was selected by the Hornets as the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft. Despite the controversies surrounding the family’s media presence, LaVar has been very supportive of his three sons’ basketball careers throughout their career journey. The father and sons maintain a close relationship.
LaVar is Known for Passionately Promoting His Sons’ Careers
LaVar Ball got the media’s attention in 2016 when his eldest son, Lonzo Ball, was recruited as a high school basketball player. He made bold claims about Lonzo’s abilities, saying that he was better than NBA superstar Stephen Curry and could beat Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball game in his prime.
When LaVar established the Big Baller Brand to create signature shoes for Lonzo and his brothers, his media presence became even more. The shoes’ price, which was far greater than that of conventional basketball sneakers, drew criticism and media attention. When LaMelo, the youngest Ball sibling, started to develop popularity as a high school basketball player, LaVar persisted in making grandiose declarations about his skills and his potential for the NBA.
Also, he participated in interviews and reality TV shows, which increased his media exposure. Ball became a well-known personality in the media as well as an acknowledged name in the basketball world as a result of his outspokenness and controversial statements concerning the basketball talent of his sons.
He Guided Lamelo to Fame in the NBA
LaVar Ball played a significant role in his son’s rise to fame. He is very active in his sons’ basketball careers and heavily promotes their talents to the media. He pulled LaMelo out of high school in 2017 to homeschool him and train him for basketball full-time. LaMelo played professionally overseas in Lithuania and Australia before he was drafted into the NBA by the Charlotte Hornets in 2020.
Throughout his basketball career, LaVar has been vocal about his support for Lamelo, but there have been moments of tension between them. Despite some of the public disagreements and controversies, they maintain a close relationship, and LaMelo has expressed gratitude for his father’s influence on his life.
Who is LaVar Ball’s Wife?
LaVar Ball’s wife is Tina Slatinsky Ball, a college athlete from California State University, Los Angeles. She is the woman with whom he had his three sons, Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo, all basketball players. In 2017, Tina suffered a stroke, requiring her to undergo brain surgery, which made LaVar step back from his business ventures and focus on her recovery.
Tina has made significant progress in her recovery, and the couple is still together. LaVar once openly discussed the difficulties he faces between his obligations to his family, his business, and his wife’s illness. He made a point of emphasizing the value of family and his dedication to providing for his wife and kids on a personal and professional level.
What is Lavar Ball’s Height?
Lavar Ball’s height is 6 feet 5 inches or 1.96 m. He is taller than the average man, and his height helped him to do well in both basketball as well as football. He is four inches shorter than his wife, Tina Ball, who is 6 feet 1 inch or 185 cm.
He is the same height as his second son LiAngelo, who is 6 feet 5 inches tall. Lavar is one inch shorter than his first son, Lonzo, who is 6 feet 6 inches, and two inches shorter than his third son, LaMelo Ball, who is 6 feet 7 inches tall.