It Seems LaVar's Sons Are Finally Ditching Their Father And His Brand
The burning garbage fire that is LaVar Ball’s Big Baller Brand might finally be about to be extinguished.
Recent social media activity from LaVar’s eldest son, Lonzo Ball, suggests that in addition to firing company manager Alan Foster for allegedly embezzling $1.5 million, he’s also no longer going to be endorsing his own company’s shoes, and seems like he’s headed towards signing a deal with Nike.
This is particularly significant given that, according to documents reviewed by ESPN, Lonzo is the 51-percent-owner of the Big Baller Brand.
Furthermore, Lonzo’s younger brother, LaMelo, also seems like he’s out, thanking his older brother for “getting us both out” in the comments section of Lonzo’s recent Instagram post.
Lonzo posted a picture in that Instagram post that said “It’s only a crazy dream until you do it,” which is one of Nike’s slogans.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXqeWnFenu/
Adding insult to injury for his dad, Lonzo said “Moving on to bigger and better #MyOwnMan”.
This could easily be construed as a stinging rebuke of his father’s leadership, and LaMelo’s “getting us both out” comment carries with it some ominous implications of its own with regard to LaVar’s control of the family’s business and his sons’ basketball careers.
LaMelo lost his high school and college eligibility thanks to LaVar’s interference, as the family patriarch pulled his youngest son out of school, carted him off to Lithuania, got him signed to a pro contract where the youngest Ball brother, being at the time a 16-year-old in a men’s league, tanked his NBA draft stock, then played in the absolute disaster of a “Junior Basketball Association.”
LaMelo might still hook on with an NBA team—he is said to be a pro-level talent—but if he does, it will be in spite of rather than because of his parental guidance.
In fact, LaMelo may end up in the NBA G-League next season.
Meanwhile, Twitter had the predictable field day with the news.
Live look at the Big Baller Brand outlet sale. ? pic.twitter.com/ivZg3EeB1V
— theScore (@theScore) March 25, 2019
And Lonzo’s manager, Darren Moore, posted a video in which he included the hashtag “#dumpurmerch” while posting himself putting a pair of Big Baller Brand sneakers down a garbage chute.
And let’s check in on Lonzo Ball’s manager pic.twitter.com/pxVUKkVMGj
— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) March 25, 2019
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne even dropped the bombshell that Big Baller Brand may be disbanding entirely.
The Ball Family had discussions over the weekend about folding @bigballerbrand and anything associated with Alan Foster. Story coming shortly on ESPN.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) March 25, 2019
While absolutely nothing is official—yet—it sure looks an awful lot like Lonzo Ball has finally had the moment where, as he himself put it on Instagram, he is finally growing up and becoming his own man.
What this means for his family remains to be seen, but it certainly seems like LaVar Ball’s “empire” is crumbling around him.
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