LaMelo Ball became the centre of online chatter after images surfaced suggesting the Charlotte Hornets star had tattooed “Hot Chee Toes” across his foot.
The fiery, Cheetos-themed design sparked both humour and disbelief, with fans flooding social media with reactions.
However, Ball’s tattoo artist Elvis Ramos has now confirmed that the tattoo was not real. Speaking in an Instagram video, Ramos explained the origin of the viral image and clarified that the foot in question did not belong to Ball.
“We tattooed LaMelo Ball. But those ‘Hot Chee Toes’—those were not on Melo. We were just trolling,” Ramos said. “The original artist is actually from California as well, but no, we didn’t do that on Melo.”
The prank had fooled thousands online, with some fans criticising Ball’s supposed decision and others applauding the bold move. Reactions ranged from “This can’t be real” to “Bro didn’t break ankles, he toasted them.”
Ramos added, “We did do a leg sleeve on Melo, and we’ll be posting that soon. But yeah, we were just trolling, man. The internet is crazy, bro.”
Despite the joke, Ball remains known for his distinctive tattoo choices. His previous back piece took 18 hours and six artists to complete and reads “Rare One,” reflecting his confident persona on and off the court.
The Hornets, who struggled last season without Ball following a season-ending injury, are hopeful for a turnaround. Ball averaged 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists before his absence.
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