Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball made headlines with his footwear again on Wednesday night, opting to wear a pair of Nike Kobe sneakers instead of his debut signature sneaker, the Big Baller Brand Z02. While his father, LaVar, has been a fervent and boisterous spokesperson for Big Baller Brand as its CEO, he said that he didn't mind the sneaker switch.
"Lonzo is not forced to wear any brand and can play in any shoe he wants as long as it's O.K. with the NBA," LaVar told ESPN. "This is what being independent is all about."
LaVar also confirmed with ESPN that Lonzo's on-court wear of the Nike Kobe A.D. is not an indication of any sort of Nike deal in the works.
Top-tier Nike athletes have been critical of Lonzo's shoes on social media in the last week, with LeBron James and Elena Delle Donne both taking jabs.
