LiAngelo Ball Addresses Fatherhood Allegations

LiAngelo Ball—aka GELO—is pushing back against the narrative being pushed by the mother of his children that he’s an absent father.

During a couple of his recent interviews, the “Tweaker” hitmaker has opened up slightly about his failed relationship with the mother of his children, Nikki Mudarris. The former UCLA star and middle brother of NBA standouts Lonzo and LaMelo Ball didn’t mince words while defending himself. When asked what the most shocking rumor he heard about himself was, LiAngelo zeroed in on claims that he’s a “deadbeat” and made it clear that he takes his role as a father seriously.

“I don’t like is when n##### try to say I’m like a deadbeat pops or something,” he said. “Cuz I be with my young n##### every day for real. I’ve raised them up.”

Liangelo continued, explaining his belief that a lot of the narratives surrounding him are misleading.

“I feel like a lot of s### be misleading sometimes,” he said.

Despite the rumors, he isn’t letting outside noise get to him.

“Everybody say something, but I don’t get too worked up for it,” he revealed. “I don’t be mad over it. I really don’t go on my s###. I just do a performance and put my phone down and hang out with the gang. See what’s happening.”

But that’s not all that he had to say on the matter. In another separate interview, the conversation then shifted to his father’s past comments about his Mudarris. LaVar previously spoke on the situation, expressing approval of LiAngelo’s choice in a partner. However, when asked about how he feels regarding his father’s opinions on his love life, LiAngelo responded with indifference.

“That was a while ago,” he noted, making it clear that it wasn’t something he paid much attention to.

He continued to downplay LaVar’s remarks, explaining that his father is typically not the one to meddle in his love life. “He don’t for real,” he said when asked how his father speaks to him about his partners. “I ain’t even know about the interview for real. Hee don’t talk about my like who I love or whatever.”

While many would assume LaVar has a heavy influence on his son’s personal affairs, LiAngelo assured that his father doesn’t intervene in his relationships.

“He never really been on that,” he said. At 26, he feels in control of his own life and decisions. “My pops not about to be like ‘what you doing?’”

It’s worth noting that LiAngelo’s new love interest, Rashida Nicole, was present during the latter interview in which she noticeably perked up when he began speaking about his ex-partner.

Earlier this month, Mudarris claimed Ball walked out on her and their two children, LaNiyah Nicole and LaVelo Anthony, to be with Nicole and alleged his new love interest is now pregnant. Nicole responded, alleging that Mudarris was racist and that LiAngelo had moved on much before she made their separation public.

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