Big Baller Brand Needs Lonzo Ball to be a Laker
A little while back, on May 4, UCLA standout Lonzo Ball and his family's Big Baller Brand (BBB) announced that they would be independently releasing a signature basketball shoe—the ZO2—for the soon-to-be lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The shoe will be priced at $495, a price that sent the internet and media outlets nationwide into a frenzy.
Many critics of the move are continuing to attack BBB’s CEO (and Lonzo's father) Lavar Ball, saying that the price tag is a result of his greed and desire to attract as much attention as possible. However, more and more individuals are starting to give the family credit for their entrepreneurial aspirations, even if the shoe’s price doesn’t make a lot of sense right now.
Now that the initial media explosion is behind us, let’s talk about how BBB can succeed and what team makes the most business sense for the brand. That team is, of course, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have the third highest chance of obtaining the number one overall pick in tomorrow’s NBA Draft Lottery, but if they don’t draw one of the top-3 picks, their only first-rounder will be the 28th pick that they received from Houston in the Lou Williams trade .
For the sake of this piece, let’s assume the Lakers end up with a chance to nab the 19-year-old guard and explain why playing in the City of Angels may be the only way for BBB to have the kind of success that Lavar Ball has been trying to speak into existence.
First off, everyone loves a hometown hero, and Lonzo would have the opportunity to be the Laker’s first homegrown star since Michael Cooper of the showtime era, and possibly the first superstar since Gail Goodrich. The amount of support he would receive for this fact alone cannot be overlooked. Despite the pressure of playing in a media powerhouse like LA, Lonzo would benefit from having an established sense of community and mutual ground between him and the fans.
by Sebastian
5/15/17
Lonzo (right) and younger brother Melo (left) with Laker Legend Kobe Bryant
In the ZO2 announcement, Lonzo says that one motivating factor behind his choice to remain independent is what he would be able to accomplish by having complete control of the revenue and resources generated by his merchandise sales. He says, “It is up to us to put forward a movement that empowers not only ourselves, but our families and communities as well.”
Considering that Zo is from Chino Hills, less than an hour away from DTLA, there is no other fan base (other than the Clippers’) that would embrace this kind of movement more than Laker Nation. If he and his family stay true to their word, investing in a pair of BBB kicks would not only be an investment in Lonzo, but also in the community that is cheering him on. It may not change a lot of minds on whether or not the shoes are worth the price, but it could definitely sway any LA natives who are on the fence about supporting the brand.
When it comes to actually changing everyone’s mind about paying $495 for shoes, LA offers a surplus of what may be the most valuable resource out there: celebrities. Lonzo has already received support (and purchases) from LA rappers The Game and Nipsey Hussle. Both shouted out Lonzo and BBB via social media, expressing their support for the brand and what they stand for. Slim Thug, a Houston native, also showed support by posting a picture of his purchase.
Celebrities, especially hip-hop artists, might be the only people on the planet who are capable of convincing mass amounts of people that a pair of shoes is worth this kind of money, and Lonzo will see a huge uptick in celebrity fans if he becomes a Laker. We’re talking about some of the biggest names in entertainment here, from Chris Rock to Selena Gomez to Kendrick Lamar; and of course the legendary Jack Nicholson. Even if a small percentage of the team’s high profile fans show this kind of support for Lonzo and BBB, it would be enough to have a significant impact on the public’s willingness to buy a pair of ZO2’s. With the right celebs involved, it could even be enough to erase much of the negative stigma that many seem to associate with the brand.
On top of its potential economic benefits, doesn’t this just seem like something that should happen in LA? For the first time ever, an NBA rookie is going to have an independently released signature shoe; Lonzo is resisting what everyone has done before him and electing to go about this the entrepreneur way, and he’s doing it with his family. That alone embodies much of the culture in LA and is likely something that people here will start to notice and appreciate, even if they aren’t going to be buying his shoes.
Lonzo to the Lakers is a match made in heaven, at least for Big Baller Brand. Of course, he would have to play at a high level once he got here, but that seems to be the least of his and his father’s worries. As long as he produces on the court, LA’s amenities would give him and the brand the best chance to actually make it in the highly competitive world of sports merchandise. It’s a longshot, and some of you may still think it’s impossible, but being a Laker makes it a little easier to see this path to success that Lavar Ball has been speaking into existence for the last few months. Tune in to the NBA Draft Lottery tomorrow at 5 PM (PST) on ESPN, where Magic Johnson will be representing the Lakers, and serving as a good luck charm, as they hope for a top-3 pick.