LaVar Ball believes that the injuries of his sons are because they are no longer under his guidance, and blames shoe manufacturers and NBA trainers for this

Mark J. Terrill/AP

LaVar Ball — the father of NBA stars LaMelo and Lonzo — believes his sons’ poor injury luck is a direct result of them no longer being under his guidance.

LaVar became well-known a few years ago when his sons were still in school. While Lonzo, the oldest, was gaining recognition at UCLA, LaMelo became one of the top high school basketball players at Chino Hills High School in California. LiAngelo Ball, the middle child, was also a standout player in high school.

As a result of the early success of his sons, LaVar started making bold claims about their future greatness at the professional level. Thanks to the confidently named Big Baller Brand, the family quickly became a hot topic in the sports world.

Despite showcasing great potential in the NBA, both LaMelo and Lonzo have been hampered by injuries early in their careers. Due to a persistent knee problem, Lonzo only played 35 games in the 2021-22 season and missed the entire 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Meanwhile, LaMelo's ankle issues have limited him to just 58 games in the last two seasons.

Speaking to CBS SportsLaVar squarely placed the blame on NBA trainers and Puma for LaMelo's shoe brand, stating,

“They say, ‘Oh, LaVar, you worked the boys out too hard — that’s why they’re hurt,” LaVar said on the podcast Beyond The Arc. “No, the reason they’re hurt is because they got away from me. And they start doing these ‘roody-poo’ workouts. If you keep running hills, you’ll maintain power and strength. But if you switch to rubber bands and lightweight exercises, you'll start breaking down.

“You've got to strengthen your legs. That's why I always have my boys running in the hills. It helps you run like a deer on the court and prevents injuries. Many issues are also due to the poor quality of the shoes LaMelo wears. That's why he keeps injuring his ankle every time.”

Despite LaVar's criticism of Puma's shoes, LaMelo has previously mentioned that Big Baller Brand’s basketball sneakers — which cost $500 — were so unreliable he’d need a new pair every quarter during NBA games.