More exciting news from the Ball family. Family patriarch LaVar reportedly plans on charging $200 for Lonzo’s first signature shoe.
Yes, two-hundun for a sneaker worn by a player who has yet to set foot on an NBA court, let alone play for an NBA team.
The report comes from The Vertical. In a story chronicling the unique “brand partnership” approach the Ball’s are taking to sneaker companies, they threw out a tidbit about a potential $200 sneaker.
Per The Vertical:
Lonzo has received preliminary interest over the past year from the three current major sneaker brands outfitting NBA players: Nike, adidas and Under Armour. None of the brands have expressed a direct interest in LaVar’s “co-branding partnership” concept, which would license the family’s Big Baller Brand for Lonzo’s footwear to then be manufactured by a partner, multiple industry sources told The Vertical.
So far, Big Baller Brand has primarily sold screen-printed T-shirts, sweatshirts and embroidered hats on its web store, with prices ranging from $50-$100 per piece. The brand is targeting the $200 tier for its debut Big Baller Brand basketball sneaker, an industry source told The Vertical, which would presumably be Lonzo’s signature shoe for his rookie season. LaVar and associate Alan Foster reportedly have been developing the shoe over the past year.
At $200, the proposed Lonzo Ball shoe would instantly become one of the most expensive on-court sneakers in the market. LeBron James most recent shoe currently costs $175 with the iD series costing $220. Kevin Durant’s Nikes and Steph Curry’s Under Armours each go for around $150. NBA MVP candidate James Harden’s addidas sneakers currently go for $140.
The Jordan XXXI that Russell Westbrook costs $185. So yes, a Lonzo ball shoe would come out the gate costing more than a pair of Jordans.
Many have assumed that LaVar is standing in the way of Lonzo securing a bag, while others have applauded the outspoken father for trying to change the game.
What do you think? Would you buy a $200 Lonzo Ball shoe, if it was fire?
