Lonzo Ball Disputes LaVar Ball's Divorce Account, Says Mom Was "Forced To Leave"

BY Erika Marie
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Jul 10, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans player Lonzo Ball arrives on the red carpet at Microsoft Theatre.
Jul 10, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans player Lonzo Ball arrives on the red carpet at Microsoft Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
After LaVar Ball opened up about his divorce, Lonzo Ball addressed the situation and offered a very different version of events.

The Ball family has spent years presenting a united front through the highs and lows of professional basketball. Whether it was LaVar Ball confidently predicting NBA stardom for his sons or Tina Ball supporting the family away from the spotlight, the couple became a defining part of one of sports' most recognizable success stories. That image has now been tested after conflicting accounts emerged about the end of their nearly three-decade marriage.

Rather than letting his father's comments regarding the divorce stand on their own, Lonzo Ball offered a different perspective during a recent livestream. According to the basketball star, Tina "didn't want to leave" and was instead "forced to leave." He also revealed that he helped his mother move into a new home and said she's doing well today.

Read More: LaVar Ball Explains Why He's To Thank For LaMelo's Success

Lonzo further pushed back against online speculation that the separation was connected to LaVar's recent health challenges. Lonzo stated that his mother's decision had nothing to do with his father's foot amputation that followed complications from diabetes earlier this year.

LaVar initially disclosed the divorce during a conversation with streamer N3on, explaining that Tina chose to end the marriage after nearly 30 years together. He also shared that he has since started seeing someone else, though he stopped short of discussing what ultimately led to the split.

Tina has not publicly addressed either account. Before becoming known as the matriarch of the Ball family, she was an accomplished basketball player at Cal State Los Angeles. She also played a central role in developing Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo long before they became NBA players or national headlines through Chino Hills High School and Big Baller Brand.

Check out the clip of Lonzo Ball below.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming the Co-Head of Original Content. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, and Amy Luciani—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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