When Lonzo Ball was coming into the league with the Los Angeles Lakers, he did so without a traditional shoe endorsement contract that most top NBA draft picks sign.
Rather than join the likes of Adidas, Nike or Under Armour, Ball and his father, LaVar, launched Big Baller Brand. In doing so, they created an avenue for Lonzo to immediately create, play in and release his first signature shoe.
That type of honor is typically a handful of years away for rookies as brands evaluate on-court play and marketing power. Beyond consumer issues with Big Baller Brand going public, Ball has endured multiple ankle injuries through his first two seasons.