Who Is Charlotte Hornets Star LaMelo Ball’s Girlfriend? Everything to Know About Ana Montana

As a member of the Ball family, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is no stranger to making headlines sometimes with praise for his play on the court, other times not so much.

Getting ripped for his play was the case following the first game of the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament when the Hornets defeated the Miami Heat. LaMelo felt the ire from plenty of fans, the media, coaches, and fellow players after tripping Bam Adebayo. While that knocked the Heat star out of the game, there was no foul called, and Melo was not ejected as some thought he should have been. LaMelo then ended up hitting the game-winning shot with under five seconds remaining in overtime.

With so much attention on him now, people started asking questions about Melo’s life off the court. Here’s what we know about his girlfriend, Ana Montana, and their relationship, including their difference.

How long LaMelo and Montana have been together

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LaMelo and Montana were first linked in 2021. Fast forward to January 2022, when he posted a series of photos showing off his fashion line, LaFrance. Amid the photo dump, one slide showed a woman, who appeared to be Montana, entering an elevator. The two confirmed the rumors that they were together in 2023 when they became Instagram official.

LeMelo even gave his lady some love and a sweet shoutout on her birthday, writing, “MY BABYY. Happy birthday i love youu shordy u already kno how we rockin and how u hold it down really a real ONE the world is urs boo happy birthday have a beautiful day.” 

Montana’s occupation and the athletes she dated before LaMelo

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Montana, whose real name is Analicia Chaves, was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Oct. 9, 1989, making LaMelo, who was born in 2001, 12 years younger.

Montana is of Cape Verdean descent and has built a career as a model and influencer. She has appeared in magazines such as Smooth and Vibe, as well as music videos for some top artists, including T.I., Rick Ross, and FloRida.

Montana has a strong presence on social media with millions of followers. She has done Instagram modeling and promotion for fashion brands, and is a brand ambassador for the popular fast fashion retail company Fashion Nova. Montana also shares photos of her travels and glimpses into other lifestyle content.

She has also gained visibility over the years for some of her relationships with high-profile men as well. Before Melo, Montana dated Belgian soccer player Axel Witsel and French soccer superstar Karim Benzema.

Speculation that Melo and Montana split following ‘toxic’ post and have a child together

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In March 2026, Montana put out a post that had some on social media questioning the state of her relationship with LaMelo.

In the clip, the model is sighing as “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore is playing in the background. A caption over the video reads, “POV: You realize everything you’ve been using your whole life is toxic. And now you have to relearn how to exist.”

Social media lit up with many wondering if that caption was pointing to the demise of her relationship with LaMelo. But despite the social media chatter, there’s nothing in her post that suggests she’s referring to the basketball player at all. The Instagram caption doesn’t hint at that either. It reads, “Welcome to my non-toxic luxury girl era. Anndddd now your personality is glass bottles, organic cotton, and filtered water better late then never!!!”

Also, in March 2026, LaVar Ball said that Melo and Montana have a son together named “La’One.” However, with no confirmation from the couple, some are wondering if LaVar was just joking around.