The now infamous “Hot Chee Toes” tattoo allegedly inked on NBA star LaMelo Ball was one of the most spoken about topics this past week. But as it turns out, the fiery foot design was nothing more than a clever prank, one that fooled thousands across the internet.
The drama began when Elvis Ramos, a well-known tattoo artist, posted an image on Instagram showing a foot emblazoned with flames and the words “Hot Chee Toes.” Fans immediately assumed the foot belonged to Ball, who’s known for his bold ink and expressive style. The internet exploded with reactions ranging from disbelief to mockery.
But Ramos quickly set the record straight.
“We tattooed LaMelo Ball. But those ‘Hot Chee Toes,’ those were not on Melo. We were just trolling,” Ramos said in a video posted to Instagram.
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He clarified that while he did work on Ball, specifically a leg sleeve that will be revealed soon, the viral foot tattoo was done by another artist based in California and had nothing to do with the Hornets star.
The prank ignited a frenzy online, with fans and media outlets scrambling to confirm whether Ball had truly toasted his toes with a snack-themed tattoo.
While the “Hot Chee Toes” tattoo was fake, Ball’s real tattoo game is no joke. He previously went viral for a massive back piece that took six artists and 18 hours to complete, featuring the phrase “Rare One.” His ink reflects his confident, individualistic persona both on and off the court.
