LiAngelo Ball has always lived in the shadow of his basketball-famous family. With older brother Lonzo Ball being a lottery pick and LaMelo Ball blossoming into an NBA All-Star, LiAngelo was often seen as the middle child chasing the same dream but never quite catching it.
After stints overseas and multiple attempts to break into the NBA via the G League, he finally stepped away from basketball and now, he’s found his rhythm in music.
In a brutally honest appearance on the BagFuel podcast, LiAngelo revealed the real reason he walked away from professional basketball: it simply wasn’t sustainable.
"Really, the way it pays, the way of living, everything… I was in the G League. That’s $3K a month. As a grown man? That ain’t it. I was getting mine and throwing it, like, the second you touch that 3K, it’s already gone. It holds no weight."
"When I started getting paid for music, it wasn’t some hard decision. I wasn’t sitting there contemplating like, ‘Damn, should I keep hooping?’ Nah. At that point, I was like, ‘I gotta live now.’”
For many, the G League is a stepping stone, a launchpad to the NBA. But for LiAngelo, who had already experienced the flash and glamour that came with being part of the Ball family’s brand, that paycheck didn’t match the cost of living, especially with the spotlight constantly on him.
LiAngelo last played in the G League in 2022, bouncing between teams but never managing to secure a full NBA contract. The dream of joining his brothers on the big stage slowly dimmed, and he began to refocus his energy. The transition to music wasn’t just a hobby; it was a career shift. And that gamble paid off.
He recently signed a reported $13 million deal with Def Jam and Universal Music Group, a staggering figure that dwarfs anything he ever earned on the court. While many mocked his decision initially, LiAngelo is now living proof that betting on yourself can work, if you’re bold enough to walk away from the path everyone expects you to take.
LiAngelo’s music career started gaining traction with a few viral singles, and the momentum built quickly. In contrast to his grind in the G League, where even consistent minutes were a struggle, music gave him instant feedback, fans, and money. The beats, the bars, and the lifestyle became a new kind of court and he finally found himself as a star.
His personal life, however, has been just as dramatic. Just a week after his wife, Rashide Nicole, announced she was pregnant, LiAngelo filed for divorce, stirring headlines once again. The reason for the split remains unclear, but the timing has left fans stunned.
Now, as his brothers continue in the NBA, LiAngelo has carved his own lane, away from the hardwood, but still under the spotlight. Basketball may have been his first love, but music gave him something the G League never could: independence, income, and identity.
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