Lonzo Ball Sets The Record Straight on Parents’ Split After LaVar’s Viral Comments

The story of LaVar and Tina Ball has never been simple.

The couple married in 1997 and raised three sons—Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball—who each went on to make names for themselves in basketball.

In 2017, Tina suffered a devastating stroke that left her with expressive aphasia, a condition that affects a person’s ability to speak while largely preserving their ability to understand language. Rather than relying on full-time nursing care, LaVar often spoke publicly about helping rehabilitate his wife at home.

Years later, LaVar faced his own serious health challenge. In February 2025, he revealed that complications from diabetes led to the amputation of his right leg below the knee.

So when LaVar recently appeared on streamer N3on’s livestream and said Tina had simply “decided to go her own way,” many viewers assumed she had walked away from their nearly three-decade marriage while he was dealing with major health issues.

According to Lonzo, that’s not what happened.

Speaking Wednesday on the Ball in the Family podcast, the former Lakers and Bulls guard pushed back on that version of events, saying his mother never wanted to leave and was instead “damn near forced” to.

“First and foremost, I wanna say I love both my parents, but the situation that is put before y’all is not how it went down,” Lonzo said. “I’m not about to get into all the details, but long story short, my mom didn’t wanna leave. She was quote, unquote, damn near forced to leave. I helped her leave. I’m glad she left. She’s in a great spot.”

Lonzo declined to explain exactly what led to the separation but made it clear he wanted to correct one narrative in particular: that his mother abandoned his father after his health declined.

“They obviously don’t f*** with each other, but I f*** with ’em both,” he said. “She was not wrong at all. She did not leave him because he lost his foot. That’s a myth that was put out there.”

He ended by emphasizing that both of his parents played equally important roles in raising him and his brothers, even if their marriage ultimately came to an end.

“My dad did a great job raising us, my mom did a great job raising us. They didn’t work out, and it is what it is. They’re both doing well and I love ’em both. We can move on now.”