LiAngelo Ball is back in the headlines after his ex-partner, Rashida Nicole, revealed she gave birth to their baby daughter without him in the room.
She shared the update on Tuesday, posting a long message about the breakdown that led to her decision.
Ball remains a familiar name through his family. His brothers Lonzo and LaMelo continue to play significant roles in the NBA, and their father LaVar stays in the news with regular appearances and outspoken takes.
LiAngelo never cut it on the basketball court, but his profile has skyrocketed, with his debut single “Tweaker” proving a viral hit.
Nicole confirmed the arrival of their daughter, Lilo Legacy, before detailing the final stretch of her pregnancy.
She said she handled everything alone and attended each appointment without support. She added that the pair are moving toward divorce, although she did not go into legal specifics.
Rashida Nicole speaks out
Her full statement then moved to the delivery itself, where she explained why Ball was not allowed in the room.
“I chose for my child’s father not to be at my delivery,” she wrote. “That decision came after months of emotional pain, hurtful words, and complete absence during the most vulnerable season of my life.
“For the last five months, I’ve done everything alone, every appointment, every milestone, every challenge.”
Nicole then addressed past tension with Nikki Mudarris, the mother of Ball’s other children, who apologised after learning more about the situation.
“Thank you to her and her family for supporting me during this pregnancy, your grace means more than you know.”
“I won’t protect someone who never protected me,” she wrote.
“Someone who disrespected me, lied on me, and pushed a one-sided narrative to avoid accountability, continue to inflict pain and build broken homes.
“So no, I wasn’t going to allow a 5-minute delivery room photo-op for the internet.”
Nicole closed by thanking those who had supported her through the pregnancy. “To everyone who supported me emotionally or spiritually, checked on me or my baby, prayed for me or simply shared encouraging words, thank you.”
LiAngelo Ball has not yet commented publicly.
