The three famed Ball brothers — LaMelo, Lonzo and LiAngelo — are reportedly signing with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports. And according to ESPN, the firm could help coveted NBA prospect LaMelo sign with a major sneaker company.
According to an ESPN report today, Roc Nation will negotiate marketing opportunities for the Ball brothers, which includes the sneaker contract for LaMelo, who is widely projected to be the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. The report states several brands are in the mix even though Jay-Z is affiliated with German athletic powerhouse Puma.
“He’s still wide open,” LaMelo’s manager Jermaine Jackson told ESPN. “He hasn’t signed with anyone. Everyone is kicking in the door. Melo is open to whatever. With this pandemic going on, we don’t know what things are going to look like.”
ESPN also reported that Raymond Brothers will be the primary agent for the Balls.
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“We talked to several agents, but the family had good vibes with Roc Nation. I’ve known Jay-Z since I played for the Knicks, but this is what the kids wanted to do. Jay-Z is a master at what he does. He’s global. It’s power beyond power,” Jackson told ESPN.
The Ball family shook up the footwear industry when the family, led by father Lavar, revealed Big Baller Brand to the masses and the signature sneaker for the eldest brother, Lonzo, before his NBA debut in 2017.
Although there was buzz behind the brand, the company disintegrated after Lonzo, then a Los Angeles Laker, announced in March 2019 that he has severed ties with Big Baller Brand’s co-founder, Alan Foster, after nearly $1.5 million from his personal and business accounts managed by Foster has allegedly gone missing. He claimed in an interview with ESPN that Foster has “used his access to my business and personal finances to enrich himself. As a result, I have decided to sever all ties with Alan, effective immediately.”
