The first episode of The LaVar Ball Show came out on Sunday, and LaVar Ball’s first guests were his sons Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo. The four of them touched on a wide range of topics during the show, and at one point, LaVar brought up cars, after which hilarity ensued.
LaVar Ball: “I know Melo, you got like 12 cars, man. Which one you rolling in these days?”
Lonzo Ball: “Watch out.”
LaMelo Ball: “A Sprinter.”
LaVar: “He said, ‘Watch out,’ [laughs]!”
LaMelo: “I got a driver.”
LaVar: “Oh, you got a driver? [laughs] They said you was too busy running into folks, man.”
LaMelo Ball says he has a driver now.
LaVar: “They said you was too busy running into folks, man.” 🤣😅
(h/t @Meloleague)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 6, 2026
LaMelo built up a reputation for being a pretty terrible driver over his six seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. Most notably, the one-time All-Star crashed his custom Hummer into a sedan at Trade and Tryon streets in uptown Charlotte in February 2026.
In the aftermath, Charlotte citizens criticized LaMelo for his reckless driving and shared their road horror stories about him. It seemed inevitable that something was going to go wrong at some point. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt in the accident.
Now, LaMelo was reportedly seen driving more carefully following that crash, but maybe that was this driver. This might be the best investment the 24-year-old has ever made.
LaMelo couldn’t have imagined back then that he was in the final months of his stint with the Hornets. They agreed to trade him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030, along with three second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033.
The reason this trade was a bit unexpected was that the Hornets had enjoyed a stunning turnaround last season. They were 14-26 in January and finished with a 44-38 record. The campaign ended in disappointment as the Orlando Magic blew them out 121-90 in the play-in tournament, but the Hornets had taken steps in the right direction.
As for LaMelo, he averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in 2025-26. It wasn’t a great statistical season, but he earned a lot of praise for leading that turnaround.
The Hornets might have thought this was their chance to sell high, although this wasn’t a great return. Time will tell if this was a masterstroke or a blunder.
On the Timberwolves side, Anthony Edwards is reportedly over the moon about the Ball acquisition. Edwards now has a dynamic backcourt partner, and these two should be a lot of fun to watch.
