Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball and his partner, Ana Montana, welcomed their first baby in January, and his name has gotten fans talking.
ESPN shared the news via Instagram on Sunday, May 10, revealing to the world that their son’s name is “LaOne,” and the comments section quickly filled with jokes.
“Can’t wait for Latwo and three,” one fan wrote.
Another added, “Rich people really name their kids like they’re pets.”
“Bro named him after his jersey number,” a fan added. (Ball, 24, wears No. 1 for the Hornets.)
Though the name may be unorthodox, it follows the Ball family’s tradition of names beginning with the letter L. Family patriarch Lavar Ball and his wife, Tina, share sons Lonzo, 28, and LiAngelo, 27, in addition to LaMelo.
But while fans were getting their jokes off, Ball and Montana, whose real name is Analicia Chaves, are celebrating their baby’s arrival.
“To my little ONE🤍🙏🏾,” Montana, 37, wrote via Instagram on Sunday. “Thank you for choosing me to be your mommy 🥹🙏🏾. I love you more than any word could ever describe! You’re my purpose and you’ve helped me become the woman I was always destined to be! Before I became your mommy, my heart was always looking for you 🥹🥰 and we finally found each other in God’s perfect divine timing.”
Montana also broke some news in her post, revealing that her fertility journey inspired her to start I Am Fertility, a nonprofit that will support women in their own roads to motherhood.
“Motherhood looks different for everyone,” she wrote. “Mine took , hope, faith, resilience, and trusting God even when I didn’t understand the journey. By the grace of God… I get to hold my answered prayer 🤍In honoring his arrival, I felt called to give back and share my testimony! That’s why I created @iamfertilitynonprofit to give hope, support, and real opportunity to families on their journey.”
She added, “Motherhood is a gift… and every woman deserves the chance to experience it. Your story is not over.”
The couple went into more detail about welcoming LaOne in an interview with People published on Sunday.
“Welcoming LaOne into the world has changed our hearts in the best way,” they said. “Family has always meant everything to us, but becoming parents has given us an entirely new perspective on love, purpose, legacy and what truly matters most.”
“He has brought so much happiness and meaning into our lives, and we’re incredibly grateful to God for trusting us with such a special blessing,” they continued. “We’re embracing this new chapter with so much love and excitement as we raise and guide our son together.”
