LaVar Ball
Opens Up On Foot Amputation
… Blames Diabetes Complications
Published
LaVar Ball is opening up on his recent amputation … revealing this week complications with his diabetes were what caused him to lose a significant portion of his right leg.
LiAngelo, LaMelo and Lonzo‘s father broke down his medical situation with SLAM on Tuesday … and explained his health began deteriorating in January.
He stated right around the time Gelo’s hit single, “Tweaker,” was going viral … he got an infection on his foot “that started spreading through my blood due to not paying attention to my diabetes.”
Ball said, initially, docs took a few toes to try to remedy the issue.
“Then they cut off my foot,” he said. “Then they said, ‘We gotta go almost knee high for another surgery.'”
In total, LaVar said he went under the knife three different times to fix the problem … and then had to get four separate blood transfusions as well.
He said it all took a real toll on him — admitting that at one point, things got so bad, he considered death.
2/21/25
“It made me think, ‘Man, just kill me and let me go about my business,'” he said. “It made me think that maybe it’s time for me to shut it down.”
Thankfully, Ball told the outlet his three sons encouraged him to keep fighting — and now, he’s doing much better.
The 57-year-old was has been seen in recent weeks joking around on TikTok — and even dancing in his chair to songs that he humorously changed the lyrics to.
3/5/25
He’s now encouraging everyone to get their routine doctor visits in so they can avoid situations similar to the one he’s currently dealing with.
“Get your checkups,” he said, “do what you’re supposed to do. If you don’t have insurance, go to urgent care. Because I’m going to tell you this, a little amputation and a little of this, it could all have been prevented.”