Big-name apparel and shoe brands Nike, Under Armour and Adidas have no interest in endorsing Lonzo Ball, according to a report by ESPN’s Darren Rovell.
Ball, who just completed his freshman season at UCLA and is a projected top-two pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, has grown into somewhat of a household name thanks in large part to his outspoken father LaVar.
Rovell spoke with the senior Ball, who said he insisted that the companies license his upstart Big Baller Brand in meetings with them.
“We’ve said from the beginning, we aren’t looking for an endorsement deal,” he told ESPN. “We’re looking for co-branding, a true partner. But they’re not ready for that because they’re not used to that model. But hey, the taxi industry wasn’t ready for Uber, either.”
Ball says he will now reach out to Chinese brands including Peak, Li-Ning and Anta, in hopes of securing a deal. He already has a prototype of Lonzo’s first shoe, which he says he showed to Nike, Under Armour and Adidas.
Lonzo is the oldest of LaVar’s three sons, with LiAngelo starting at UCLA later this year and LaMelo, who’s heading into his third year of high school.
[relatedlinks]
