An impending foot amputation did not stop Lavar Ball from sending some encouragement to his son, LiAngelo.
In a newly released video, the Big Baller Brand patriarch could be seen FaceTiming with his son, who also goes by GELO, as the young artist’s single “Tweaker” was going viral. (In addition to LiAngelo, 26, LaVar also shares sons Lonzo, 27, and LaMelo, 23, with wife Tina Slatinsky.)
Though it’s unclear when the video was recorded, it shows LaVar, 57, reveling in his son’s success as LiAngelo explains to him how his music career is taking off and reveals that he landed a set at Rolling Loud in Los Angeles.
“That’s what I’m talking about, son,” LaVar told him. “Get me a prosthetic leg up there and be bouncing on one leg.”
“S*** is over and you still got hoop on the back end,” he added, referring to LiAngelo’s professional basketball career. He most recently played for Astros de Jalisco in Mexico.
LaVar revealed in March that he had his foot amputated after an infection ravaged his body, leaving him in the hospital for more than a month. He explained in a personal essay for SLAM Magazine published March 18 that he did his best to communicate with LiAngelo in the leadup to his surgery.
“When I was in the hospital and ‘Tweaker’ was starting to become a global hit, I had a couple of FaceTime conversations with Gelo, but I was kind of slurring because I was all drugged up with all the medication they were putting in me,” he wrote.
LaVar ultimately had three surgeries and four blood transfusions as doctors tried to get the infection under control. The ordeal took a toll on him — physically, mentally and emotionally.
“All those surgeries and blood transfusions, it made me question whether it was worth going through it sometimes,” he continued “It made me think, ‘Man, just kill me and let me go about my business.’ It made me think that maybe it’s time for me to shut it down.”
It was ultimately his kids who helped him persevere.
“But then seeing what my boys are doing out there, they’re like, ‘Dad you’re the toughest dude I know,’” he continued. “That made me keep going. Even though I’m a bad man — I don’t need much — it was good to have that backing from my boys. One of the things that makes me go is when they are all together. When they are all together, I feel strong.”
Months after the surgery, LaVar is back home and easing back into his normal life. On March 16, he posted a video of himself via Instagram working out in his home gym. He added LiAngelo’s “Can You Please” featuring GloRilla to the post.
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