LaVar Ball Calls Out Prominent Shoe Brand For Injuring NBA Sons

Remember a couple of years ago when LaVar Ball, father of NBA stars Lonzo, LaMelo, and LiAngelo Ball, was at the forefront of many basketball-related issues?

Well, he’s back at it again, and this time, he takes a shot at the NBA and their conditioning styles regarding his two sons, Lonzo and LaMelo. Ball points the blame at the NBA for the recent injury struggles of his two sons.

“The reason they hurt is because they got away from me. And they start doing these rooty-toot workouts. Because if you keep running them hills, you’re going to keep that power and that strength. But you start dealing with these rubber bands and doing this lightweight stuff, of course you’re going to start breaking down… A lot of things have to do with them raggedy shoes that Melo be wearing. Them shoes are not made the right way for him. That’s why he keeps tweaking his ankle every single time.”

LaMelo and Lonzo have dealt with their fair share of injuries, starting with his oldest son, Lonzo, who was the former number two overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. The elder Ball was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and started his career on a good note. He is a traditional point guard who is flashy and one heck of a defender. However, he’s suffered through a pair of significant injuries that have kept him out for two seasons in a row.

The 26-year-old, as a member of the Chicago Bulls, had two surgeries in 2022, one in January to repair a torn left meniscus and the other in September, where he underwent an arthroscopic debridement on his left knee. However, he continued to experience pain, leading to the Bulls shutting him down for the entire 2022-2023 season.

His third surgery was last March for a more aggressive cartilage transplant procedure. Ball himself announced he would miss the entire 2023-2024 season. The Bulls have missed Ball for two seasons in a row, and it’s unfortunate. The former 2017-2018 All-Rookie member was coming into his own, but injuries have derailed him.

As for LaMelo, this is the second consecutive season the injury bug has struck him. He played in 36 games in 2022-2023 as a result of three separate ankle injuries. This season, it was no different. In 2023-2024, the 22-year-old only played in 22 games, averaging 23.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game.

It’s clear LaVar is not happy with how his sons have become injury-ridden in the league. However, he is consistent that they will overcome this. Why is this? Because their last name is Ball, he told Bill Reiter of CBS Sports.

“Well, mentally, they got a strong mindset,” LaVar says. “They Balls. So they’re going to come back. They’re going to rehab. They’re going to do their thing.”

“As long as my boys are taking care of themselves and doing what they’re supposed to do, and get to do something that they love to do for as long as they can, it’s a beautiful thing,” he says. “A lot of people don’t get this opportunity, and I look at it with a different perspective, which is, A) even conditioning and even coming back, at least you get to do something that you love to do.”