LiAngelo Robert Ball, also known as Gelo, is an American rapper and former professional basketball player. After a series of challenges in his basketball career, including a shoplifting incident that ended his tenure at UCLA, he found viral success in the music industry. He is the middle brother of NBA players Lonzo and LaMelo Ball.

Family: Born in Anaheim, California on November 24, 1998, Ball is the second son of LaVar Ball and Tina Ball, both former college basketball players.

Education: As part of the highly publicized Ball family, he gained national attention playing for Chino Hills High School with his brothers, where he won a state championship as a junior.

UCLA Incident: His path to the NBA was derailed in 2017 when he was indefinitely suspended from the UCLA basketball program after he and two teammates were arrested for shoplifting in China.

Post-UCLA: He subsequently played professionally in Lithuania for Prienai in 2018 and for his father’s Junior Basketball Association (JBA).

G League: Despite several attempts, he never made an NBA roster but played in the NBA G League for the Greensboro Swarm from 2021 to 2023.

Retirement from Basketball: After a brief stint with the Astros de Jalisco in Mexico in early 2024, he confirmed his retirement from basketball in August 2025 to focus on his rap career.

Music career

Viral Single: Ball found immense success with his debut single “Tweaker,” released in January 2025. The song went viral, with many comparing its sound to 2000s Southern hip-hop. A remix featuring Lil Wayne was released in February 2025.

Record Deal: Following the success of “Tweaker,” he signed a multi-million dollar record deal with Def Jam Recordings in January 2025. The deal is reportedly worth up to $13 million with an $8 million guarantee and gives him full ownership of his music.

Debut Album: In July 2025, he released his debut studio album, League of My Own, under Def Jam.

Performances: He has appeared at major music festivals, including Rolling Loud California in March 2025.

Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year: In September 2025, Billboard named him its Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year.

Personal life Family: He is the son of LaVar and Tina Ball and the middle brother of NBA players Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball.

Divorce: In July 2025, Ball filed for divorce from his wife, influencer Rashida Nicole, just days after she announced her pregnancy on social media.

Former Partner: He previously dated reality TV star Nikki Mudarris from “Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood”.

Reality TV: He appeared with his family on the Facebook Watch reality series, Ball in the Family.

Net Worth and Earnings: LiAngelo Ball has an estimated net worth of $5 million.

Following the success of his viral single “Tweaker” in early 2025, LiAngelo Ball’s wealth increased significantly after he signed a record deal with Def Jam.

Def Jam record deal earnings

Deal Value: In January 2025, Ball signed a deal with Def Jam and Universal Music Group reportedly worth up to $13 million.

Guaranteed Money: The deal included a guaranteed amount of $8 million.

Ownership of Masters: A key component of the deal was that Ball retained full ownership of his master recordings and his own record label, Born2Ball Music Group.

Other sources of earnings Streaming Royalties: As of February 2025, Billboard estimated that his hit song “Tweaker” had generated approximately $640,000 from over 90 million streams.

Live Performances: Ball performed at the Rolling Loud festival in March 2025, and his debut headline show sold out in Chicago in October 2025.

Real Estate: In 2021, he purchased a mansion in Chino Hills, California, for a reported $3 million.

Facebook Reality Show: The Ball family’s reality series, Ball in the Family, aired on Facebook Watch from 2017 to 2020 and paid the family millions of dollars annually.

Other Ventures: Before his rap success, he had earnings from playing in the NBA G League and had a signature shoe with his father’s company, Big Baller Brand.

Disputed net worth claims: In early 2025, Ball appeared on the Complex show 360 with Speedy Morman and disputed online reports claiming his net worth was $800,000, calling the figure his “high school net worth”. While he did not reveal his current net worth, he indicated that it was significantly higher.