The Big Baller Brand on Thursday introduced the ZO2 Prime, NBA prospect Lonzo Ball's "first signature basketball shoe" under the family brand, according to Clay Fowler of the INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN. Ball said that the shoe was "independently produced by Big Baller Brand." The shoes "retail from $495 to $695," while an autographed version of is listed on bigballerbrand.com for $995. The shoes are "available for pre-order to be shipped by Nov. 24." There are also ZO2 sandals "listed on bigballerbrand.com for $220." Fowler notes by comparison, the most expensive version of Warriors F Kevin Durant’s signature shoe, the KD 9 iD, is $195. Rockets G James Harden’s Adidas Vol. 1 signature shoe "retails for $140" and Warriors G Stephen Curry’s Under Armour UA Curry3Zero is $119.99. The "most expensive Jordan Brand shoe is the $400 Air Jordan 5 Retro Premium." Ball’s ZO2 Prime is a "low-cut, sleek black shoe with gold accents, a Big Baller Brand logo on the side of the shoe and a large ZO2 emblem the wraps around the back" (
INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN, 5/5). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted major shoe companies last week "expressed they
weren't interested in the deal pitched to them by LaVar Ball in which they would have to license his Big Baller Brand." The shoes LaVar Ball had already designed were "part of the pitch." NPD Group Sports analyst Matt Powell called Ball's first signature shoe announcement "a setback" for Lonzo. Powell: "None of the shoe companies are going to sign him now" (
ESPN.com, 5/4). LaVar Ball said the largest endorsement deal offered to Lonzo by an established sneaker company was $2M annually for five years. But he said, "I was not in this for no endorsement deal. They've been endorsing cats all these years. I don't want endorsement deals. I want the co-brand" (
"The Dan Le Batard Show," ESPN Radio, 5/5).
GOING IN STYLE: In Houston, Matt Young notes the ZO2 "looks sharp as it features python microfiber texture, patent leather heel logos and a gel outsole with a hand-painted DeLorean finish." However, the "nearly $500 price tag undoubtedly will scare many people away" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/5). ESPN's Marcellus Wiley said, "Admit it, they look good. ... Those are nice shoes, I will give them that. I expected a lot worse.” ESPN’s Amin Elhassan asked, “Do you think Steph Curry is sitting there like, ‘Why didn't y’all come up with something like that?'" ("SportsNation, ESPN, 5/4). THE UNDEFEATED's Clinton Yates wrote the shoes are "not wack" as they "look quite a bit like many of the other popular shoes of the day, which obviously makes sense." In more plain terms, they "look like the Kobes" (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 5/4).
THE PRICE IS RIGHT? The costs of Big Baller Brand's initial products have garnered a lot of attention since they were unveiled. LaVar Ball came up with the $495 cost for the shoes because he believed that is "what the shoe was worth." Ball: "This stuff right here is symbolic and that comes with a price" ("The Dan Le Batard Show," ESPN Radio, 5/5). ESPN's Booger McFarland on Twitter wrote, "jordans are/were/have been the most popular sneaker & i cant remember a pair being 500 but Big Baller Brand is gonna sell shoes for that?" NFL.com's Max Meyer; "People are going crazy over $495 price tag on Lonzo Ball's sneakers, but Lavar is trying to sell SANDALS for $220." ESPN's Dick Vitale: "Lonzo Ball's shoes r $495/if he plays in the @NBA like he did vs BBN De'Aaron Fox they'll go for $4.95" (TWITTER.com, 5/4). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said if he was paying $495 for a shoe, it "better be by Santoni or Ferragamo” (“PTI,” ESPN, 5/4). ESPN's Mike Greenberg noted the "extraordinarily high" prices have "everybody buzzing, which maybe was part of the strategy of all this." Greenberg: "There is an element of genius to everything that has been done here, and it might just work" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 5/5). Hoops Hype's Alex Kennedy wrote, "Theory: LaVar Ball is saying Lonzo's shoe will cost $495 because it gets everyone talking about it and sharing pics. Then, they drop price" (TWITTER.com, 5/4).
CRAZY LIKE A FOX: In DC, Des Bieler notes the BBB product launch "dominated the sports world Thursday, even as the NBA playoffs were in full swing." And "that happened because of, not despite, the seemingly ludicrous prices involved." Once again, LaVar Ball "showed that he is shameless -- and smart." He has been "extremely savvy in the way he has leveraged the rise to fame of his son Lonzo." By "drawing so much attention to himself, LaVar Ball has created an enormous amount of awareness for Big Baller Brand." Bieler: "It’s important to Ball that as many people as possible know that his company’s shoes cost $500, and if word gets out by way of ridiculing comments, that’ll work" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/5). FS1's Doug Gottlieb said he believes Ball is "winning, because we're talking about it." Gottlieb: "That's all he wants. All he wants is us to be talking about him because he thinks any publicity is good publicity" ("Speak For Yourself," FS1, 5/4). ESPN's Kevin Negandhi: "LaVar is really getting some good coverage out of this, we're talking about it" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 5/5). ESPN's Le Batard asked Ball, "How much laughing are you doing the last couple days? You don't have a marketing budget yet for these shoes and we're giving you all the free advertising?" Ball: "I'm loving it. I'm good with what I'm doing" ("The Dan Le Batard Show," ESPN Radio, 5/5).
WHAT'S MISSING? FS1's Kristine Leahy noted of the shoe release, "What stands out to me is he wants to be this big shoe mogul. In order to be one, you have to think like one, and if you look at Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and you look at their websites, they all play to women, right? Men and women equally. I would wear all their stuff. I would never wear a shirt that says Big Baller Brand, ever" ("Speak for Yourself," FS1, 5/4). ESPN's Stephen A. Smith: "You've done alienated more than 90% of the population because you basically said to them, 'You ain't worth a damn because you can't afford my shoe.' That's not exactly the way to ingratiate yourself to potential patrons that you want to buy your product" ("First Take," ESPN, 5/5).
