29 May 2023 , 15:40
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NBA star Lonzo Ball and his family went viral due to the price point of his 'Big Baller Brand' sneakers, with his father, LaVar, the driving force behind the brand - but the player in question once revealed he never even liked the signature shoes.
When he entered the NBA in 2017 as the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, Ball reportedly turned down offers from sporting giants on a shoe deal - instead opting to wear his families new 'Big Baller Brand' sneakers.
It was a head-scratching move at the time, with many criticising the sneakers look - while also costing a whopping $500 to purchase, something his father dismissed as being good value for money while appearing on ESPN. And as it turns out, even Ball himself was not at all a fan of the shoe - stating just how bad that they were to wear and even affected his game.
Speaking on the LightHarted podcast with Josh Hart, he said: "No one knows the real story about them shoes though. Them ZO2s I was playing in, they was not ready. No one knows this, but D-Mo (Ball's manager) had a backpack, and he had an extra like four pairs of shoes in there because I had to switch them every quarter, because they would just rip."
This had been in the summer league, in which Ball impressed in inconsistent performances. After two games, Ball choose to not wear them, and begun playing increasingly better - which he says was no surprise to him.
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He said: "But I had to debut them. We went so far with it, it was like, cool, I can get a quarter in, but that’s it. And it’s crazy, because right when I switched my shoes, all of a sudden, magically I got good again."
Ball did wear 'Big Baller Brand' sneakers on his NBA debut as he struggled, but shined in them in his second career game - scoring 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists with the Lakers.
Ball has undergone numerous surgeries over the past 18 monthsThat has been the story of Ball's career - too many times struggling after strong outings. But as well as his inconsistencies on the floor have hampered his time in the league, it's been injuries which have hurt him - not being able to play 65 games in a season and having a number of major injuries.
Sadly, Ball missed the entire 2022/23 season after suffering with a reoccurring knee injury, which has seen him have a string have surgeries over the last two years. He required a cartilage transplant - something no NBA player has ever returned from after going such surgery, and has had two further procedures in September and March, with his career now in jeopardy.
Ball addressed his latest surgery with a statement which read: “My main focus has been on returning to the court and getting to a place where I can rejoin my teammates. This has been a frustrating process, but I'm confident these next steps are the best path forward.
“The support of my family, friends, fans and medical staff throughout my recovery is what keeps me moving forward. I can't wait to get back to what I love doing most–playing basketball.”