Tina Ball is a former collegiate basketball player, longtime educator, and the estranged wife of Big Baller Brand founder LaVar Ball, with whom she raised three sons who each went on to play professional basketball: Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo Ball.
Married since 1997, Tina spent nearly three decades largely out of the spotlight compared with her outspoken husband, building her own career as a physical education teacher and athletic director while quietly supporting her family’s rise to national prominence.
In June 2026, LaVar publicly revealed that he and Tina had separated after nearly 30 years together, a development that renewed public interest in a woman who, until then, had rarely spoken publicly about her life.
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Tina Ball Biography
She was born Tina Slatinsky on December 11, 1967, in Miami, Florida, to Robert and Catherine Slatinsky.
Tina later moved to California, where she attended Alta Loma High School and quickly built a reputation as a standout basketball player in her own right.
She went on to play college basketball at California State University, Los Angeles, competing for four seasons with the Golden Eagles women’s team as an accomplished athlete rather than simply a supporting figure in someone else’s story.
It was at Cal State LA that Tina met LaVar Ball, who was also a student-athlete at the school.
The two began a relationship and married in 1997. Together, they had three sons: Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo Ball.
Career
After her college playing career ended, Tina did not pursue professional basketball. Instead, she built a long and accomplished career in education.
She spent 24 years working at Vernon Middle School in Montclair, California, starting as a physical education teacher before eventually becoming the school’s athletic director.
This role reflected her lasting commitment to youth athletics well beyond her own playing days.
Tina’s tenure at Vernon Middle School came to an end in 2017, not by her own choice, but because of a serious health event that significantly altered the course of her life.
Stroke and Recovery
In February 2017, Tina Ball suffered a major stroke. She was hospitalized and required extensive rehabilitation.
In the years since, she has continued to live with aphasia, a condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate through speech, reading, and writing. Her son Lonzo spoke publicly about her condition, describing her as working hard throughout her recovery.
Following her stroke, Tina stepped away from most public appearances, though she remained an important presence within her family.
She also took on a role as lead designer for Big Baller Brand, the family’s clothing and footwear company, although it has not been confirmed whether she continues to hold that position.
LaVar Ball Marriage
Tina Ball is the estranged wife of businessman, and former college basketball player, LaVar Ball.
In June 2026, LaVar Ball revealed during an appearance on streamer N3on’s podcast that he and Tina had separated after nearly 30 years of marriage.
According to LaVar, the decision was Tina’s. He said she had decided to go her own way and that the two had, in his words, ‘had their run together.’
He also addressed her stroke and recovery, saying that her health and age never changed how he saw her and that she was always beautiful in his eyes until she chose to move in a different direction. LaVar Ball further confirmed that he had begun a new relationship, though he did not disclose the identity of the woman.
He did not provide a detailed explanation for the separation beyond describing it as Tina’s decision, and no legal filing or formal divorce proceedings had been independently confirmed as of this writing.
As a result, it should not be assumed that the couple has legally divorced simply because they have separated. Tina Ball has not publicly commented on the separation.
Tina and LaVar’s three sons have each carved out distinct paths in professional basketball and beyond. Lonzo Ball, the eldest, was selected second overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and later played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers. His career has been significantly affected by a series of knee injuries.
In February 2026, Lonzo was traded to the Utah Jazz and waived shortly afterward, making him a free agent, with reports indicating interest from the Golden State Warriors.
LiAngelo Ball, the middle son, played briefly in the NBA G League and had a short stint with the Detroit Pistons before shifting his focus away from professional basketball. He has since pursued a music career and is signed to Def Jam Recordings as a rapper.
LaMelo Ball, the youngest, has become the most accomplished of the three brothers on the court, establishing himself as a star point guard for the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2026.