Balls fire back at former BBB partner Alan Foster
LaVar Ball and his family have issued a response to the countersuit filed by their former Big Baller Brand business partner Alan Foster.
Foster alleges the Ball family embezzled more than $2.5 million from Big Baller Brand and Ball Sports Group to fund a lavish lifestyle.
"Alan Foster’s claims are not only unfounded and devoid of any truth, but are an egregious attempt to turn the attention away from the millions of dollars that he embezzled from the Ball Family and the Ball Family Business," the Ball family said in statement.
"Not only will LaVar Ball and his family continue to vigorously pursue their civil action against Foster seeking civil damages, but will also continue to cooperate with law enforcement in order to seek justice for his egregious actions," the statement continued.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball cut all ties with Foster in March after he learned that roughly $1.5 million from his accounts were unaccounted for.
Up until this year, the UCLA product wasn't aware of Foster's checkered past. Foster was sentenced to prison in 2002 after pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering.
"Alan Foster is a convicted felon and is currently being investigated by the FBI," the statement read. "He has served seven years in jail for fraud and has a deep criminal past defrauding those who have placed their trust in him.
"The Ball family are all united in relentlessly pursuing Foster for his grave injustices, and will always fight to protect the respected Ball family name, despite Foster’s futile attempt to defile it," it continued.
Lonzo has distanced himself from his father and Big Baller Brand in the aftermath of the scandal. He covered up a tattoo of the brand's logo that was previously on his arm and expressed he's open to signing a new shoe deal elsewhere.
Ball was acquired this summer from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis blockbuster deal. The former second overall pick has averaged 10 points, 6.4 assists, 6.2 boards, and 1.6 steals across his first two NBA seasons.