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Big Baller Brand announces it's joining the beverage business

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He sells basketball shoes for $495.

He’s basically sold his two youngest sons to a basketball team in Lithuania.

It makes one wonder: What on earth does LaVar Ball have planned for his next business venture?

How about H2O?

That’s right, LaVar is dipping his toe into the water business, partnering up with Birstonas Mineral Water to import the Lithuanian product under the Big Baller Brand label.

Ball says, as usual, he’s thinking outside the box, telling 15 min (roughly translated from the Lithuanian site), “What NBA player advertises water? No one. Everybody in America is somehow too proud for water campaigns. There are energy drinks that are advertised, but nobody even thought about water. And here we come from across the Atlantic with water. Lithuania has the best water in the world! Zero nitrates! What kind of water is more transparent?”

Birstonas sponsors the basketball team on which LaMelo and LiAngelo play, which is named after its flagship product, Vytautas. The company website calls it “the first and the oldest mineral water in the Baltic States, which has been produced since 1924.”

Interestingly, water is an untapped market with professional athletes.

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry endorses Brita, which is best known for water filters, and rapper 50 Cent was involved with Vitamin Water, which he eventually sold to Coca-Cola for more than $4 billion.

Ball says the idea of water is as natural as it gets, right?

“In America, we have systems that help cleanse the water,” he said (again, roughly translated from the Lithuanian site). “And here it is completely natural. Water is the best thing. And it is flowing.”

ESPN’s Darren Rovell reports the price point for Big Baller Brand water will be on par with Perrier (a 24-pack of 16.9-ounce bottles sells for about $15) and San Pellegrino (a 24-pack of 8.4-ounce bottles is about $17.50).

Just as LaVar has guaranteed his two younger sons will eventually join Lonzo on the Lakers, the family patriarch promises Big Baller Brand Water will be the next big thing.

“In America, no one knows the Vytautas brand. … They already know what Big Baller Brand is. People will feel that they will become Big Ballers when they drink it,” he said. “This will give the water a reputation. “

There’s no word about whether Lonzo and the Lakers will be involved with the water.

Norbertas Pranckas, chairman of Birstonas, actually wants to produce a movie about the endeavor.

“Someone has to tell a story,” he said. “You need to make a documentary. He would talk about how this water got into America. You need to use the motives of the whole Lithuanian basketball. And then, at the end, show the Big Baller Brand.”

Just what we need, LaVar hawking water — on the big screen.

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Mike is an 11-time Michigan Emmy Award winner who has spent nearly 30 years working in sports media.
Mike has spent nearly 30 years in all aspects of sports media, including on-air, 10 at ESPN and another 10 at Fox Sports Detroit. He now works as a TV agent, and lives with his family in West Bloomfield, MI.
Birthplace
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Honors/Awards
11-time Michigan Emmy winner
Education
Emerson College
Books Written
The Longest Year: One Family's Journey Of Life, Death, And Love/If These Walls Could Talk: Detroit Tigers/If These Walls Could Talk: Detroit Lions
Topics of Expertise
Sports




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