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LaVar Ball

$4 Million
Businessman, Entrepreneur, Media Personality, Former Athlete

Quick Facts

Full Name LaVar Christopher Ball
Net Worth $4 Million
Profession Businessman, Entrepreneur, Media Personality, Former Athlete
Date of Birth October 23, 1967
Nationality American
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Spouse/Partner Tina Ball (m. 1997)
Children Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball, LaMelo Ball

Biography

LaVar Ball’s net worth is estimated at $4 million. Ball is an American businessman, media personality, and former multi-sport athlete best known as the co-founder and CEO of Big Baller Brand and the outspoken father of NBA players Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball, as well as recording artist LiAngelo Ball. His public persona — built on bold media appearances, a family reality show, and a willingness to challenge the NBA establishment — transformed him from a small-business entrepreneur into one of the most recognizable sports-adjacent figures in the United States.

Updated March 2026: According to Basketball Network and reporting by Marca, LaVar Ball’s net worth is currently estimated at approximately $4 million, derived from Big Baller Brand revenues, television appearances, and media income. In early 2026, Big Baller Brand opened its first-ever flagship retail store in Chino Hills, California — the city where the Ball family built their name — marking a significant expansion of the brand beyond its original direct-to-consumer online model.

Early Life and Education

LaVar Christopher Ball was born on October 23, 1967, in South Los Angeles, California. He grew up in the Los Angeles area and attended Canoga Park High School in the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, where he competed in both basketball and football. After high school, Ball enrolled at West Los Angeles College, where he continued playing basketball before transferring to Washington State University to play at the NCAA Division I level. He spent the 1987–88 season with the Washington State Cougars, averaging a modest 2.2 points per game across 26 appearances. He later transferred to Cal State Los Angeles, a Division II program, where he averaged 15.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and earned All-CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) first-team honors in 1989–90. He majored in criminal justice and also played one season of college football as a tight end at Long Beach City College, demonstrating his genuine multi-sport ability. It was at Cal State Los Angeles that he met his future wife, Tina Slatinsky, who was also playing college basketball for the same institution.

Sports Career and Transition to Business

After college, LaVar Ball pursued a professional football career, signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent. He was subsequently assigned to the World League of American Football (WLAF), where he played for the London Monarchs. Injuries cut short his professional football ambitions, and he never played in an NBA regular-season game despite his college basketball resume. Following his retirement from professional sports, Ball worked as a personal trainer in the Los Angeles area, where he channeled his athletic background into coaching his three sons — Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo — from an early age. He built a training program focused on developing all three boys into high-level basketball players, operating out of the family home in Chino Hills. The result was the 2015–16 Chino Hills High School basketball team, which went 35-0 and became a nationally viral phenomenon, with all three Ball brothers — led by then-senior Lonzo — featured prominently in a game that was broadcast on ESPN and viewed by millions. That season laid the commercial groundwork for everything that followed.

How LaVar Ball Built His $4 Million Fortune

LaVar Ball’s net worth stems from several interlocking income streams, each connected to his role as a public personality and entrepreneur rather than a traditional sports salary.

  • Big Baller Brand (BBB): Co-founded in 2016 with business partner Alan Foster, Big Baller Brand launched as an independent premium sports apparel company designed to bypass major shoe companies like Nike and Adidas. The company’s flagship product, the ZO2 Prime — Lonzo Ball’s signature shoe — retailed at $495 at launch in 2017, generating national attention and controversy. BBB also released the MB1 shoe for LaMelo Ball at $395 and the Gelo 3/G3 Lux at a similar price point. A limited autographed sneaker sold for close to $1,000. While sales never matched the publicity, the brand built a direct-to-consumer customer base and generated revenue estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in its early years. In 2019, Lonzo Ball severed ties with the company after co-founder Alan Foster was accused of embezzling approximately $1.5 million from the brand. LaVar retained control and rebuilt. In January 2026, BBB opened its first flagship retail store at The Shoppes in Chino Hills, and in May 2024, the brand partnered with Global Tire Distributors to launch a line of aftermarket automobile wheels — its most significant product diversification in years.
  • Ball in the Family (Facebook Watch, 2017–present): LaVar negotiated a reality television deal with Facebook Watch for a documentary-style family series titled Ball in the Family. The show premiered in 2017 and ran for at least six seasons, following LaVar, Tina, and their sons through basketball, business decisions, and personal milestones. The deal represented one of Facebook Watch’s early high-profile original productions and provided LaVar with television income that supplemented Big Baller Brand revenues.
  • Media appearances and speaking engagements: LaVar Ball became a fixture on ESPN, FS1, sports talk radio, and podcasts beginning in 2017, driven by his willingness to make provocative statements — including his famous claim that he could beat Michael Jordan one-on-one in his prime and that all three of his sons would become NBA stars. These appearances, while unpaid in many cases, fed brand awareness for BBB and his personal platform. By 2026, he remains an active media presence, appearing at brand events including the BBB flagship store grand opening in February 2026.
  • Junior Basketball Association (JBA): In December 2017, LaVar announced the JBA as a fully funded alternative to college basketball for elite high school graduates. The league operated in 2018 with eight teams playing in NBA arenas across cities including Los Angeles and Dallas, paying players between $3,000 and $10,000 per month, with top-ranked recruits promised up to $50,000 per month. LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball played for the Los Angeles Ballers. The JBA folded in 2019, having served its primary purpose of keeping LaMelo on a professional track before his eventual Australian NBL stint with the Illawarra Hawks.
  • Chino Hills real estate: The Ball family resides in a 13,800-square-foot Mediterranean-style mansion in Chino Hills, California, purchased in October 2017 by a Lonzo Ball-linked LLC for $5.2 million, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The gated estate sits on over three acres and includes eight bedrooms, eight-and-a-half bathrooms, a wood-paneled elevator, a fenced swimming pool, and a 1,200-square-foot guesthouse.

Personal Life

LaVar Ball met his wife, Tina Slatinsky, while both were attending Cal State Los Angeles, where Tina was also a competitive basketball player. The two married in 1997 and have been together for nearly three decades. Tina Ball, born December 11, 1967, in Miami, Florida, was a standout high school player at Alta Loma High School in Alta Loma, California, where she averaged 15.8 points and 18.2 rebounds per game and was named All-Baseline League as a senior. She played college basketball at Cal State Los Angeles. In 2019, Tina Ball suffered a stroke, which temporarily stepped back her involvement with the family’s public activities; she has since recovered significantly and resumed her public presence.

The couple has three sons: Lonzo Ball (born October 27, 1997), who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and has earned over $122 million in NBA salary across stints with the Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Spotrac; LiAngelo Ball (born November 24, 1998), who played briefly in the G League and overseas before pivoting to music, signing with Def Jam Recordings; and LaMelo Ball (born August 22, 2001), the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year who plays for the Charlotte Hornets on a five-year, $203.85 million maximum contract earning $38.3 million in the 2025–26 season, per Marca.

The family continues to be based in the Chino Hills area of San Bernardino County, California. LaVar and LaMelo were both seen at the new Big Baller Brand gym facility and flagship store in Chino Hills in early 2026, signaling ongoing collaboration between father and son on the brand, per Pro Football Network.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is LaVar Ball’s net worth?

LaVar Ball’s net worth is estimated at approximately $4 million as of 2025–2026, according to reporting by Basketball Network and Marca. His wealth comes from Big Baller Brand, the Facebook Watch reality series Ball in the Family, and media appearances. His net worth is substantially smaller than those of his sons: LaMelo Ball is estimated at $40 million and Lonzo Ball at approximately $35 million.

Who is LaVar Ball’s wife?

LaVar Ball’s wife is Tina Ball (née Tina Slatinsky), whom he met while both attended Cal State Los Angeles as college basketball players. They married in 1997 and have been together for nearly three decades. Tina Ball was born on December 11, 1967, in Miami, Florida, and was herself a standout high school and college basketball player. She suffered a stroke in 2019 but has since recovered and continues to appear publicly alongside LaVar.

How old is LaVar Ball?

LaVar Ball was born on October 23, 1967, in South Los Angeles, California, making him 58 years old as of March 2026. He was born in the same year as his wife Tina, who shares a birthday on December 11, 1967. Ball attended Canoga Park High School in Los Angeles before going on to play college basketball and football at multiple institutions, including Washington State University and Cal State Los Angeles.

How tall is LaVar Ball?

LaVar Ball stands 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall, a height he achieved during his college basketball career. His physical stature contributed to his ability to play as a forward at the college level across multiple programs, including Washington State and Cal State Los Angeles. All three of his sons are also tall: Lonzo Ball is 6 feet 6 inches, LiAngelo Ball is 6 feet 5 inches, and LaMelo Ball is 6 feet 7 inches.

What is LaVar Ball’s salary and annual income?

LaVar Ball does not earn a traditional salary as a corporate executive — Big Baller Brand is a privately held company with no publicly disclosed payroll figures. His estimated annual income draws from Big Baller Brand business operations, revenue from the Ball in the Family Facebook Watch series (which ran at least six seasons), and fees from media appearances and brand events. Industry observers estimate his net worth at $4 million, implying a cumulative but not extraordinarily large income stream over the decade-long period since BBB’s 2016 founding. The brand’s expansion into retail in early 2026 and its automotive accessories partnership with Global Tire Distributors in 2024 signal new revenue channels going forward.

Where does LaVar Ball live?

LaVar Ball lives in a Mediterranean-style mansion in Chino Hills, California, located in San Bernardino County. The property was purchased in October 2017 by a Lonzo Ball-linked LLC for $5.2 million, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The estate spans over three acres and features 13,800 square feet of interior space, including eight bedrooms, 8.75 bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen, a gym, a wood-paneled elevator, a fenced swimming pool, and a 1,200-square-foot guesthouse. LaVar gave ESPN an exclusive tour of the property shortly after the purchase in 2017, calling it the “biggest place in Chino Hills.”

Does LaVar Ball have kids — who are his children?

LaVar Ball has three sons with wife Tina Ball. Lonzo Ball (born October 27, 1997) is a professional NBA point guard who was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2017 and has career earnings exceeding $122 million per Spotrac. LiAngelo Ball (born November 24, 1998) played professional basketball in the G League and overseas before transitioning to a music career, signing with Def Jam Recordings. LaMelo Ball (born August 22, 2001) is a three-time NBA All-Star who won the 2021 Rookie of the Year award and is currently on a five-year maximum contract worth $203.85 million with the Charlotte Hornets, earning $38.3 million in the 2025–26 season.