When you’re Lonzo Ball, no little detail about your game goes unnoticed. Especially when that “little detail” is not wearing your very own signature shoe that your father is peddling for $495.
The Los Angeles Lakers point guard took the court for Wednesday’s NBA Summer League game against the Philadelphia 76ers wearing not his custom ZO2 kicks, but these purple Nikes:
Lonzo Ball takes the court for Summer League warmups. He's wearing…..this Nike Kobe AD: pic.twitter.com/5nrDRLCLP6
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) July 13, 2017
Lonzo decided to go without the Big Baller Brand shoes tonight in Summer League… pic.twitter.com/X6Yh16QPxS
— Eric Fawcett (@EricFawcett_) July 13, 2017
Not a good look for the Big Baller Brand, eh? Well, it only got worse for LaVar Ball’s pet project, because Lonzo went out and played the game of his (young) life.
The recent No. 2 overall pick exploded for 36 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, entertaining the Las Vegas crowd with plays like this:
The Lonzo to Kuzma connection is still strong #LakersSummer (📺: @SpectrumSN & ESPN2) pic.twitter.com/cLiSkiBHbL
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 13, 2017
And this:
Lonzo Ball with the clutch AND-1! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/OEpeTkuaGI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 13, 2017
And this:
.@ZO2_ dijo que vio en el 2Q que necesitaba ser más agresivo y eso cambió el rumbo del partido (@AGMLA y @TikotDeRoa en @spectdeportes). pic.twitter.com/XHfmZFvXls
— Los Lakers (@LosLakers) July 13, 2017
And here’s the kicker: LeBron James, arguably Nike’s biggest ambassador, was in the stands to witness Ball’s big game first-hand. And yes, he was well aware of the young guard’s shoe choice.
So, what does LaVar think of his son selling out the Big Baller Brand? If he was upset with Lonzo, he didn’t show it.
“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 told ESPN’s Darren Rovell. “This is what being independent is all about.”
Thumbnail photo via Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports Images
