January 1, NBA Star’s Brother Reveals Why LaMelo Ball Finally Hired a Driver

Wyatt’s Take

• LaMelo Ball’s reckless driving habit with million-dollar cars finally caught up with him — now he’s got a personal driver to keep him out of trouble.
• Brother Lonzo called out LaMelo’s pattern of wrecking expensive vehicles and getting into ‘situations on the road’ — smart move hiring someone else to take the wheel.
• The Ball brothers’ NBA journeys show two different paths: one plagued by injuries, the other by poor decisions behind the wheel of exotic cars.

The Minnesota Timberwolves guard has made headlines for years with his extensive exotic car collection. But LaMelo Ball is finally taking a smarter approach to getting around town — he’s hired a personal driver.

His older brother, Lonzo Ball, revealed the news during a recent episode of the “Curious Mike” podcast. The conversation came up while discussing which Ball family member spends the most money.

“Who in your family out of y’all three spends the most [money],” Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. asked.

“The one who has the most, LaMelo,” Lonzo replied.

“[He’s] got 10 cars,” Lonzo continued. Having a driver could mean the 25-year-old spends less time behind the wheel.

And that might be a good thing. Lonzo suggested his younger brother’s taste for Lamborghinis and similar high-performance models has led to problems.

“He’ll buy a $1 million car and then just immediately f–k it up, I’ve never understood [that],” Lonzo said.

“You just bought that? And then you ripped it up? You could’ve just got a beater,” the former Los Angeles Lakers guard added.

Lonzo then clarified the situation around LaMelo’s driving record. The younger Ball brother “doesn’t get into accidents, but he has a lot of situations on the road,” Lonzo explained.

LaMelo has been involved in multiple incidents over the years, including a crash during All-Star break where his custom Hummer lost a wheel. He’s also faced legal trouble related to driving incidents at fan events.

The Lakers selected Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He later played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2025.

The Cavaliers traded him to the Utah Jazz in February 2026, but the Jazz waived him before he appeared in a game for the team.

Lonzo’s NBA career has been derailed by injuries. After appearing in 35 games during the 2021-22 season, he spent more than two calendar years on the sideline.

“It was like a 1,000 and something days,” Ball said, reflecting on the length of his absence.

He added that he has come to terms with the possibility that he may not return to the same level he once reached as an athlete. “I came at peace with that when I got hurt the first time. Every time you get hurt it kind of sets you back,” Ball told Porter.

The Hornets selected LaMelo with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Charlotte traded the two-time All-Star guard and teammate Josh Green to the Timberwolves in June for Naz Reid and multiple draft picks.

Wyatt Matters

When you’re making millions playing basketball, hiring a driver isn’t about luxury — it’s about common sense. Too many young athletes with more money than wisdom end up in preventable situations. LaMelo Ball finally figured out what working Americans know: sometimes you need to admit your weaknesses and get help before something really bad happens. Better to swallow your pride than end up in a courtroom or worse.