LaVar Ball’s independent sportswear company, Big Baller Brand, just announced its newest signature basketball shoe: The Melo Ball 1, named after his 16-year-old son and Chino Hills High School basketball star, LaMelo.
Big Baller Brand, the brainchild of America’s most famous sports dad and father of the three ballplaying Ball brothers — Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo, UCLA freshman LiAngelo and LaMelo — revealed the red, black and teal MB1 on Twitter, which will retail for an allowance-eating $395 a pair and will start shipping this holiday season.
Today, LaMelo Ball becomes the 1st high school player ever to have his own signature shoe. The "Melo Ball 1" pic.twitter.com/3EpJuBA1EF
BBB’s shoes aren’t for ballers on a budget, but the MB1s are $100 cheaper than big (baller) brother Lonzo’s signature kicks, the ZO2s. Those sparked plenty of internet backlash when they were unveiled in May, with retired Laker great Shaquille O’Neal admonishing the Ball family patriarch on Twitter for his price point. (Big Baller Brand offers ZO2 slides for $220 for those who are marginally more budget conscious.)
But since then, LaVar has been the one laughing. Lonzo benefited from some fortunate bounces of the NBA’s lottery balls to wind up with his hometown Lakers, just as his dad ordained. And he won the Most Valuable Player award at the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League — but seemed to play better when he traded in his ZO2s for various shoes from other manufacturers.
ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell speculated that having his own shoe could make LaMelo, who once scored 92 points in a high school game, ineligible to play college basketball.
The Ball patriarch didn’t sweat that in an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.
“We’ll worry about it when we get there,” LaVar Ball told ESPN. “Who cares? If he can’t play, then he can’t play. It doesn’t mean he’ll stop working out and getting better.”
9 NBA Stars Who Took a Shot at Hollywood (Photos)
Michael Jordan
It's only fitting that the greatest basketball player in history would star in the biggest basketball film of all time. His Airness plays himself in "Space Jam" as he comes out of retirement to save the Looney Tunes from being kidnapped by giant aliens.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
After pretending to just be an airline pilot named Roger Murdock in "Airplane!," the famous basketball player angrily responds to one of his critics in the form of a young boy in one of the film's many zany moments.
Gheorghe Muresan
For 1998's "My Giant," Billy Crystal cast NBA center Gheorghe Muresan for the role of Maximus, the titular big man. Crystal plays a huckster who tries to use Maximus' height for his personal advantage. Crystal based the film on the relationship he developed with Andre the Giant while filming "The Princess Bride."
Ray Allen
Just two years into a record-breaking career, Ray Allen turned in a critically-praised performance in "He Got Game" as Jesus Shuttleworth, a high school senior who is pressured by his father (Denzel Washington) into playing for a certain college that can pull some strings and get him out of prison.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal has played a genie ("Kazaam") and a superhero ("Steel") as well as cameoing in many of Adam Sandler's comedies. But he got his start by playing a college basketball player in 1994's "Blue Chips," acting opposite Nick Nolte as his coach. O'Neal was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst New Star for his performance.
Dennis Rodman
Hollywood took one glance at Dennis Rodman and decided, "There's a star." The Chicago Bulls forward starred with Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1997's "Double Team." The acting may have been subpar, but the writers were able to mix it in with some truly awful one-liners. Rodman won three Razzie Awards for his performance in the film.
Larry Bird
One of the NBA's all-time greats appeared as himself in "Space Jam," wisely telling Bill Murray that he should stick with acting and give up his basketball dreams. Bird also cameoed in "Celtic Pride," which starred Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd as die-hard Celtic fans who kidnap an opposing player to help their team.
Rick Fox
Arguably the player with the most successful transition from the court to the big screen, Rick Fox has participated in films ranging from "He Got Game" to "Meet the Browns," as well as playing a baseball player in a memorable cameo from "Holes."
Darius Miles
Drafted out of high school, Darius Miles rode his early NBA stardom to a role in "The Perfect Score." Acting alongside Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, he played a high school basketball player who was desperate enough for a high SAT to join a band of students intent on stealing the answers.
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From the hardwood to Hollywood: TheWrap takes a look at some of basketball’s finest who have dabbled in acting
Michael Jordan
It's only fitting that the greatest basketball player in history would star in the biggest basketball film of all time. His Airness plays himself in "Space Jam" as he comes out of retirement to save the Looney Tunes from being kidnapped by giant aliens.
