NBA Star Sparks Backlash After Saying That Changing His Infant Son's Diapers Is 'Not My Job'

It's 2026, but NBA star LaMelo Ball apparently hasn't gotten the memo that fatherhood has moved beyond the 1950s. The Minnesota Timberwolves point guard is catching heat after declaring that changing his infant son's diapers is "not my job."

The 25-year-old made the eyebrow-raising admission during an Inside the NBA interview with Ernie Johnson Jr. ahead of his October 21 debut with Minnesota.

When Johnson asked whether Ball changes diapers for his 9-month-old son, LaOne, the basketball star made his position abundantly clear.

Ball revealed who handles diaper duty in his household:

“Nah, my girl, do all that. It’s love, for sure…”

Ball shares his son with girlfriend Ana Montana, whose real name is Analicia Chaves. The model and fashion influencer has more than 3 million followers on Instagram.

The couple welcomed LaOne in January 2026 but waited until May to publicly announce his arrival. They also launched I Am Fertility, a nonprofit supporting women navigating fertility and IVF journeys.

Ball shares a moment with his son on Instagram:

Seriously, look at that precious little face. Who wouldn't want to keep that adorable little tush clean?

Back in the interview, Johnson reminded Ball that he didn't know what he was missing by skipping diaper duty. But the point guard insisted that he and Montana had their parenting responsibilities figured out.

Ball described the couple's household game plan:

“She do all that, you know what I’m saying? We got a good game plan going on.”

Apparently, the game plan involves Montana handling the dirty work while Ball stays comfortably out of the diaper-changing rotation. And while he acknowledged changing diapers before, he wasn't about to let anyone confuse that with an ongoing obligation.

The NBA star doubled down on his position:

“I’ve definitely did it before, [but] it’s just not my job. You know what I’m saying? It’s not my job.”

Because apparently, becoming a father doesn't automatically come with changing-table responsibilities.

Watch Ball discuss his parenting arrangement below:

- YouTubeNBC on ESPN

Montana, meanwhile, has publicly celebrated motherhood, sharing affectionate messages about LaOne since announcing his arrival.

But the model has also faced legal trouble. On September 30, 2026, Montana was arrested and booked into the Mecklenburg County jail in North Carolina on felony drug charges following a months-long pharmacy investigation, according to OutKick. Her defense team insisted she neither forged paperwork nor fabricated prescriptions and believed the order was legitimate.

Montana also shared a moment with their son on Instagram:

Of course, Ball isn't the first celebrity father to publicly distance himself from diaper duty.

Rapper Nelly previously sparked controversy after suggesting he wouldn't change his son's diapers on Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together. He later clarified to People that he was joking and had changed diapers.

Robert De Niro also acknowledged that girlfriend Tiffany Chen handles much of the childcare for their daughter, while Matthew McConaughey previously admitted that he wasn't changing his newborn son's diapers.

Here's what makes the diaper-changing debate particularly infuriating: Mothers don't get to opt out of postpartum recovery. After childbirth, some women face physical complications, hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, postpartum anxiety, or postpartum depression. Those challenges can make an already demanding period even harder.

Yet certain fathers still speak about changing diapers as though it's an unreasonable burden rather than one of the most basic ways to care for their children. The baby has two parents. Diaper duty shouldn't fall to just one of them.

And social media had plenty to say about Ball's definition of teamwork:

u/a_duck_in_past_life/Reddit

u/GordEisengrim/Reddit

u/qu33rtyc0wboy/Reddit

u/-SnuffBox-/Reddit

u/Kooky-Blueberry-5352/Reddit

u/Kidgorgeoushere/Reddit

u/OShaunesssy/Reddit

u/eugeneugene/Reddit

u/AvengingHero2012/Reddit

u/Kooky-Blueberry-5352/Reddit

u/tecate_papi/Reddit

u/Accomplished_Ad5811/Reddit

u/nilsinleneed/Reddit

Meanwhile, Ball's first game with the Minnesota Timberwolves went considerably better than his public-relations performance.

Minnesota opened the 2026–27 season with a dominant 131–106 victory over the Miami Heat. Ball contributed 21 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals, while Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 45 points.

But Ball also attracted attention for an apparent traveling violation that officials missed during the second quarter. Replays showed the point guard seemingly taking several extra steps before launching a three-pointer.

The Timberwolves may have championship ambitions, but Ball still doesn't have an NBA championship ring.

And while he apparently got away with a few extra steps on the basketball court, taking a few steps toward his son's changing table seems to be another matter entirely.