LaVar Ball Uses Lonzo To Make A Statement To Nike, Under Armour, Adidas

LaVar Ball admitted that he wanted to make a statement when Lonzo wore four different shoes in four games during the NBA Summer League. He said he wanted those brands to sign his son in an endorsement deal.

During his first two games with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Summer League, Lonzo wore his signature shoes, ZO2: SHO’TIME! from his father’s company the Big Baller. Subsequently, he wore four different sneakers from four different brands. Lonzo was seen to don Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, and Air Jordan in four consecutive games. Following his first game wearing a different sneaker on Wednesday, July 12, Lonzo’s father said in an interview with ESPN, that his purpose is to make a statement to those brands.

Prior to the 2017 NBA Draft, LaVar approached Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas to offer a contract with his company Big Baller and Lonzo. He was reported to ask for a ridiculous amount of $1 billion in an endorsement deal. However, none of the companies showed interest in his offer and Lavar had to create Big Baller’s ZO2: SHO’TIME! as Lonzo’s signature sneaker, which is sold at the retail price of $495.

After wearing his signature shoes in the first two games, Lonzo wore Kobe Bryant’s Nike Kobe AD in the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday last week. He made a double-double, scoring 36 points and passing 11 assists to help the Lakers win 103-102. After the game, LaVar clarified that there was still no negotiation between him and Nike regarding the endorsement deal.

Afterward, Lonzo wore Adidas on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as he made his first triple double. In the next game against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, he sported Under Armour’s Stephen Curry sneaker. He slipped on the Nike Air Jordan XXXI in the semifinal game against the Dallas Mavericks on the following day. Lonzo helped the Lakers to win all those games to advance to the final this Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

LaVar admitted that he made Lonzo wear four different sneakers in four different games to allure the brands to sign him. He expected that his son’s performance during the NBA Summer League will make at least one of them accept his endorsement proposal of $1 billion. However, similar to two months ago, none of the brands responded to his ludicrous offer.

[Featured Image by John Locher/AP Images]