As important as performance is for NBA athletes, it is only one piece of the pie. A pivotal aspect of being a professional athlete is the sweet financial freedom one earns, especially through endorsement deals. Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball understands this but is meticulous in the endorsements he pursues.
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Unlike other NBA stars, LaMelo received an introduction into the business world at a young age. His father, LaVar, quickly showed him alongside his two brothers, Lonzo and LiAngelo, the importance of building a brand. Ball’s first experience came with Big Baller Brand as a child. Once he reached the NBA, he began to take more authority over business decisions.
As of now, Ball has a huge endorsement deal with Puma and is among the select stars in the league to own a signature sneaker. He has also ventured into deals Gatorade and Fortnite.
However, the one-time All-Star hasn’t been able to garner much endorsement buzz from higher-end companies. Although the true reason behind that development is a mystery, Gilbert Arenas believes he knows why.
“He’s done tattooed himself to the point where they’re not going to put you on these American Express ads unless you’re willing to cover yourself up,” Arenas said in an interview on VladTV.
The media has always been quite stingy on who they choose to promote. Perception means everything in marketing. Of course, an idealistic argument can be made about the times being different from what it was during Arena’s playing days.
DJ Vlad pushed back on Arenas’ take by bringing up LeBron James, who has multiple tattoos. He does make a good point, but there just so happens to be a key difference in James’ approach in comparison to Ball.
“When they were putting [LeBron] on Sprite and all this stuff, they put him in suits,” Arenas said. “[LaMelo] has to be willing to put on a suit.” Also, it goes without saying, when you are considered the greatest ever to play the sport, you can get away with a few things.
Besides, LeBron learned from a young age the importance of business attire, which has set him into a different field as a businessman. LaMelo could perhaps adapt a similar approach for the cameras, but it doesn’t seem like something he’s interested in at the moment.
Some people are completely content with their NBA contract and minor endorsement deals. That may be the case for LaMelo as well.
