• Loading stock data...
Saturday, June 7, 2025

LiAngelo Ball Never Reached the NBA. His Song Has Taken It by Storm

Shaquille O’Neal, Dawn Staley, and Angel Reese are some of the names who have been seen enjoying Ball’s new song.

Oct 12, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LiAngelo Ball before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

LiAngelo Ball is the one Ball brother who has never played in the NBA. But he has infiltrated sports in a way his brothers never have.

On Jan. 3, Ball, the middle brother between Bulls guard Lonzo and Hornets star LaMelo, dropped the rap song “Tweaker” through his artist name, G3 GELO. The song has turned into a viral phenomenon and was No. 8 on Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 playlist as of Jan. 8, ahead of pop hits like “Birds of a Feather” and “APT.” 

The song has become a staple across locker rooms over the last week. The NFL’s Lions blasted “Tweaker” in their locker room following their win over the Vikings on Sunday Night Football. A player can even be heard shouting “put that Gelo on!” immediately after Dan Campbell’s postgame speech and Jared Goff’s closing huddle in the locker room.

Angel Reese posted a video asking players in Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league launching Jan. 17, to finish the famous lyric of the song: “I might swerve bend the corner, woah.” WNBA All-Stars Chelsea Gray and Dearica Hamby were among those in the video.

Dawn Staley, head coach of South Carolina’s women’s team, also posted a video dancing to the song at the Gamecocks’ practice facility and gave a shout-out to Ball. “You got something there, Gelo,” Staley said.

Even the Inside the NBA crew acknowledged the song Tuesday. Shaquille O’Neal danced to the track, while Kenny Smith said he “never heard a song take off that fast.”

Social media accounts have even gotten in on the fun, with the NBA’s Nets and Bulls using the song’s famous line. Even non-sports accounts have referenced the song, like DoorDash and Red Lobster.

And of course, Lonzo and LaMelo, who were both top three NBA draft picks, brought the song over to their locker rooms in Chicago and Charlotte, respectively.

LiAngelo, 26, is not signed with a professional team at the moment. He said in November on Reese’s podcast Unapologetically Angel that he wants to play in the G League, though he has received some offers to play overseas. He played 19 games for the Greensboro Swarm, the G League affiliate of the Hornets, between 2021 and 2023. His overseas stints include time in Lithuania and Mexico.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
Apr 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) points to the dugout after hitting an RBI single during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Daikin Park.

Trump Travel Ban Not Expected to Impact MLB, NBA—for Now

The ban is a full restriction on 12 countries and a partial ban on others.
NBA Finals

NBA Finals Continue to Strip Away Pageantry

Fans once again complained about the lack of visible Finals markings.

Silver: NBA Local Media Woes Could Hurt Expansion Momentum

Las Vegas and Seattle have long been rumored as expansion cities.

Featured Today

August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.
May 27, 2015; Paris, France; Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) knocks the clay off her shoe during her match against Simona Halep (ROU) on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros
June 4, 2025

Roland-Garros’s Iconic Red-Clay Surface Is a Precise Alchemy

The exact science behind maintaining the French Open’s red clay.
Alex Jensen introductory press conference on Monday, March 17, 2025.
June 3, 2025

Alex Jensen Started Utah Utes HC Job While Still Coaching the Mavs

How Jensen began building an NCAA program while patrolling the Dallas sideline.
May 31, 2025

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.

French Open Ratings Up 23% in Week 1 Ahead of Star-Powered Finals

The women’s final will feature the world’s top two players.
Lois Boisson
June 5, 2025

Coco Gauff Ends Lois Boisson’s $785K Cinderella Run in French Open Semis

Boisson entered the tournament ranked No. 361 in the world.
Aaron Rodgers
June 5, 2025

Aaron Rodgers Finally Agrees to Deal With Steelers

The one-year deal is reportedly set to be signed Friday.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off before a game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.
June 4, 2025

Derek Carr Didn’t Want to ‘Just Take the Saints Money’

The retired quarterback walked away from a $30 million salary.
June 4, 2025

361st-ranked Boisson Stuns at French Open, Quintuples Career Earnings

The 2025 French Open is Boisson’s first Grand Slam.
June 4, 2025

Stanley Cup Is Connor McDavid’s Chance to Cement All-Time Status

The Oilers superstar is mirroring the path of Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA), left, defeats Gabby Thomas (USA) to win the women's 200m, 21.99 to 22.10, during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field.
June 2, 2025

Grand Slam Track Investigating Man Saying He Heckled Gabby Thomas to Win..

The league announced a “full investigation into the reprehensible behavior.”