LaVar Ball talks tough to his wife even in stroke recovery

LaVar Ball’s practice of saying audacious things even extends to when he’s talking to his wife, who is recovering from a stroke.

The Washington Post’s Kent Babb wrote a story that was published on Thursday about Tina Ball’s recovery from a stroke last year. The story provides an interesting look into the Ball family/Tina’s recovery and is well worth your time if you’re interested in such subjects.

LaVar is well known for saying what’s on his mind and not holding back. And while a lot of that is done for marketing purposes, he appears to take some of the same approach even when talking with Tina.

Babb highlighted a few instances of questionable things LaVar has said to his wife. From Babb’s story:

Rather than slow his gait when they’d go to lunch in Chino Hills, he’d point out she’s “moving like an old-ass lady” because she uses a cane or advise Tina to “put your damn foot forward and walk!”

In his suite on this afternoon, during an interview he insists is recorded, LaVar sidesteps questions that would humanize him and offsets the occasional tender moment about his wife — “As long as she can smile, give a kiss and a hug,” he says, “I’m good” — with striking displays of cruelty — “That’s probably why she had the stroke, so she can be quiet for a minute.”

Babb doesn’t make clear whether some of those things are said seriously or in jest, but he notes that it’s to the point where Tina’s mother doesn’t like hearing it.

Maybe these are examples of the tough-love coaching style Ball employs and he’s only trying to motivate her to get back to full strength. Still, they’re enough to make many people cringe.