Charlotte Hornets’ young star LaMelo Ball has recently been promoting Big Baller Brand’s (BBB) newest product on social media. Both of LaVar Balls’ sons, Melo and Lonzo, have duly promoted the new BBB x GenEgg slipper, despite having their own issues with promoting their dad’s brand. While Lonzo’s case might be an ugly split from the brand in 2019, Melo is risking his $100,000,000 contract from Puma, which he signed in 2021.
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LaMelo Ball was offered the Puma deal right after his draft as a third-overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets. Notably, Melo has collaborated for two shoes, MB01 and MB02 with Puma and recently unveiled his third collaboration under the LaFrance collection.
LaMelo Ball promotes BBB’s new shoes amidst risking $100,000,000 Puma collaboration
LaMelo Ball has been recently noted promoting BBB’s newest product, the BBB x GenEgg slippers. The product was first pitched by his brother Lonzo Ball, with Melo excitedly telling everyone the features and additions that he would like to add to the product. Here are the clips of the Ball brothers endorsing the new BBB product, shared by Legion Hoops on X (formerly Twitter).
Melo wants some of his very own design customizations, such as his LaFrance’s ‘LF’ logo and the words ‘RARE’ and ‘1-of-1’ imprinted in the slippers. Perhaps, Melo is excited as he hints towards a possible collaboration between his LaFrance label and BBB. Very recently, he released his third collaboration with Puma, based on this very LaFrance label that he is now promoting for the BBB brand.
Both Melo and Lonzo are at odds in promoting BBB for wildly different reasons. Back in 2019, Lonzo Ball split with Big Baller Brand co-founder Alan Foster over alleged missing $1.5 million in funds. Furthermore, Ball had also hinted towards a possible collaboration with Nike, speaking to LeBron James back then.
However, in the case of Melo, he might be directly violating his contract with Puma signed in 2021. Shoe contracts in basketball usually contain clauses that do not allow the players to endorse other rival brands making the same products. Perhaps, if Melo has a possible Puma x BBB collaboration in the plan, then all might seem good for LaVar Ball and his brand.
Lonzo Ball promoting BBB products right now might be the heights of irony
The Melo brothers are often criticized for sustaining several injuries throughout their career run. In Lonzo’s case, he was touted as one of the top talents by the LA Lakers back in 2017. Six years later, a series of lower-body injuries have rendered the Chicago Bulls to ‘privately’ believe Lonzo might never be able to play again.
It is quite ironic and hypocritical how Lonzo himself criticized the quality of BBB’s sneakers back in 2019. In his rookie season, Lonzo faced embarrassment when his shoes fell apart on the court. Furthermore, he had also joked about this incident in Josh Hart’s podcast in 2019.
That very year, Lonzo ditched BBB sneakers and chose to exclusively wear Nike’s Kobe Bryant signature line shoes for his subsequent games. With all such rapid developments back then, it’s quite strange to see both Lonzo and LaMelo reverting back to BBB and promoting the brand, despite their contractual obligations and previously contradictory statements.
