(SP) – Draft prospect Lonzo Ball only has one workout scheduled for NBA teams so far: a June 7th performance with Los Angeles Lakers officials. He is also reportedly considering working out for the Sixers, but has turned down an invitation from the Boston Celtics. Most believed the decision was based on Ball and his father, Lavar, not wanting him to play for the Celtics, but sources say it’s primarily because the family believes his Big Baller Brand shoes will only hold up for 10-15 minutes of use before ripping apart at the seams.
“They might be selling the ZO2’s for $500, but they’re not $500 worth of quality, I can assure you of that,” said a source close to the family. “They need him to wear those shoes in the workouts to grow the brand, but they’re not ready. They’re basically some canvas sewn together. They might last a few times up and down the court, but that’s it. They’ll fall apart or Lonzo will break his ankle. Those are the only options. And they chose not to go to Boston because they were afraid the shoes would rupture on the airplane with the cabin pressure. True story.”
Associates of the Balls have encourage the eldest son to do his workouts in Nike or adidas shoes, but Lavar has insisted that he’s done with those brands and wants to go all-in on his Big Baller line.
“He doesn’t think he can turn back now,” said a friend. “He’s out there telling people now that the ZO2’s are the best basketball shoes on the market for 5 minutes of play at a time. ‘Lonzo can win a game in just 5 minutes of action,’ he told me. ‘He’s that good.'”
Perhaps anticipating his son’s injuries due to inferior shoes, Lavar began selling Big Baller Brand ankle braces online today for $700 each.
