No Label

The ball family’s big baller brand has taken advantage of today’s media landscape to provide Lonzo ball with an alternative to the usual major sneaker company endorsement deal. If BBB succeeds, is the next big trend going to be prospects ditching the usual shoe companies in favor of the independent route?

- Peter Walsh

FOR THE LAST TWO decades, just about every top NBA draft prospect has gone through a similar process. First come the team workouts; then media sessions; then trade rumors and mock draft predictions; then draft night; then, finally, a sneaker deal with a major brand. The first four steps remain generally the same year in and year out, but thanks to Lonzo Ball and his family’s Big Baller Brand, the final piece of the journey to the League may have been flipped on its head.

As has been well documented, Lonzo and his family initially attempted to link with a powerhouse brand such as Nike, Adidas or Under Armour for a partnership deal. When that didn’t pan out, BBB stormed ahead as an independent family business. While the NBA has seen players start their own brands in the past, no rookie before Lonzo had ever had a signature sneaker before his name was called by the NBA commissioner on draft night. While some have scoffed at the Ball family’s practices—especially the marketing efforts of LaVar Ball—BBB has people paying attention on all levels.

“Every rising prospect is definitely closely watching to see how the Big Baller Brand venture goes for the Ball family,” says Nick DePaula, who covers the sneaker industry for Nice Kicks. “The concept of owning your own likeness, and retaining full rights to any marketing or revenue by launching your own brand is something everyone has taken notice of. With how much players are able to interact and market directly to fans through social media in today’s world, I definitely see another top player trying it.”