The thing LaVar Ball has been bragging about for years finally happened last night: His eldest son, Lonzo, was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers. The noted sports dad celebrated by wearing a never before seen hat from his family brand, Big Baller Brand. decked out in purple and gold, Lonzo’s new team colors.
But if Ball’s hat wasn’t evidence enough of his confidence that the draft would go as he predicted, shortly after the Lakers’ pick was announced the BBB website began pre-selling the ZO2: Sho’time, a new edition of the infamous ZO2 shoes but now in a Lakers colorway. At a $495 price point, the shoes reinforce that Ball is not backing down to critics who argued that BBB’s products are unjustifiably overpriced.
Lonzo wearing ZO2s in NBA games will be a huge marketing boost to BBB, which has mostly relied on the force of Ball’s personality for publicity. And if things continue to go the family’s way, it could be a boon for their small company, a rare independent, black-owned athletic apparel brand.
