LaVar Ball Says Lonzo Could Sign With A Major Shoe Brand ‘If The Price Is Right’

A strange subplot of the NBA’s Summer League has been the shoe choices of Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball. While he’s signed to his family’s brand Big Baller Brand, the talented guard has rocked adidas and Nike kicks during Summer League. On Saturday night, that trend continued, as Ball rocked Under Armour’s Stephen Curry 4s against the Nets.

Considering he made waves by turning away major brands to join his family’s brand — largely because his father claimed that the family wouldn’t take less than $1 billion for a shoe deal — it’s kind of surprising that Ball wouldn’t wear the ZO2 Prime every time he takes the floor.

But as it turns out, the door is not closed on Ball joining one of these larger shoe companies somewhere down the line. His father, LaVar, told ESPN’s Darren Rovell that while the price tag would be high, seeing Lonzo wear Nike, Under Armour, or something else full-time could be in the cards.

LaVar Ball admits his son’s wearing of different shoes serves as both a temptation and an invitation to the brands that passed on him.

“It’s making a statement to the brands of what they could have had with an open mind,” the patriarch said via text message. “The players are the brand ambassadors. The brand is nothing without the players.”

Asked whether there’s still a chance that a big shoe brand can sign his son Lonzo Ball, LaVar responded: “If the price is right. Quite frankly we are officially in the shoe game, and are a billion dollar brand either way.”

The billion dollar brand thing is, um, probably a bit of a stretch at this point considering the ZO2 Primes didn’t sell very well, at least not at first. But if anyone subscribes to the theory of “in order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times,” it’s LaVar Ball.

(Via ESPN)