Lonzo Ball wore a pair of Nikes at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on Wednesday and the internet lost its collective mind. Is Lonzo done with Big Baller Brand shoes already? Is The ZO2—available for preorder in five colorways—already a bust? LaVar Ball is here to say that’s far from the case.
In fact, his son throwing on a pair of purple Kobes is apparantly another benefit to being a Big Baller. The BBB CEO told ESPN’s Darren Rovell via text message that there’s no signing with Nike on the horizon despite his son’s choice of footwear.
“Lonzo is not forced to wear any brand and can play in any shoe he wants as long as it’s OK with the NBA,” LaVar Ball told ESPN by text early Thursday morning. “This is what being independent is all about.”
Ball had a huge game on Wednesday while wearing the Kobes, and he was asked about the shoes after the game. Of course, he followed the independent narrative his father established and said it’s up to him to decide what he wants to wear on the court every day.
“At BBB, you can play in what you want,” Lonzo Ball said on SportsCenter after the game. “I already played in both of my shoes, might as well get the ‘Mamba Mentality’ going. Put ’em on, and it worked out tonight.”
I’m sure Kobe appreciate the shoutout and Nike certainly won’t turn down the free advertising, but it’s so strange in the modern age to see an NBA player go off-brand like this. Perhaps that’s the freedom that comes with having a father as your brand manager, and maybe that’s the way it should be.
But just trying to picture Michael Jordan throwing on a pair of Under Armour Shoes because he felt like it would be equally jarring. Maybe the Balls have the right idea here, but it’s certainly out of the ordinary.
