LaVar Ball played a very active role in the upbringing and development of his three basketball-playing sons. Now the youngest one is sharing just how involved LaVar actually was.
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball spoke this week in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic. During the interview, LaMelo made the surprising revelation that he and middle brother LiAngelo were born left-handed but that LaVar changed them so that they would be right-handed.
“Me and my middle brother Gelo, we both were born left-handed and then our pops changed us,” said LaMelo. “When we eat at the table, [oldest Ball brother] Lonzo and my pops are right-handed so me and Gelo was hitting them. He changed all of us so we all right.
“I go back to left now,” added LaMelo. “Right when I left the house and everything, I did everything that I do with my left.”
The context of the question was how LaMelo is so fluid with both hands, his left hand just as effective as his right hand.
LaVar’s methods seem to have worked just fine. LaMelo is a great shooter, hitting 39.1 percent on threes and 90.1 percent on free throws this season. The same is true for LiAngelo, who is considered to be the best pure shooter in the family and is hitting 53.6 percent on threes for the Greensboro Swarm of the G League.
Obviously, LaVar has drawn plenty of infamy over the years due to his many boisterous comments, even as recently as this month. But you can’t say that he was not highly involved in the lives of his three sons.
Jul 5, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Basketball player LaMelo Ball in attendance of the New Orleans Pelicans against the New York Knicks game during the NBA Summer League at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
