Lakers Blame Lonzo Ball's Sneakers for Injuries
In 2017, Lonzo Ball was heralded as a generational talent before ever entering the NBA. Then-Los Angeles Lakers team president Magic Johnson expected the incoming rookie to have his jersey retired among the franchise's greats one day.
Fast forward almost six years and a series of lower-body injuries have led the Chicago Bulls to "privately" believe Ball will never play again, per Chicago sports reporter Dan Bernstein.
How could a cant-miss prospect be on the verge of his career ending after 252 professional games? According to Fox Sports Radio host Doug Gottlieb, the Lakers believe the start of Ball's injuries was caused by his shoes.
A detailed look at Lonzo Ball's shoes.
© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Ball began his professional career in Big Baller Brand shoes, a sports apparel company founded by his father, LaVar. The first signature sneaker, the ZO2, launched at a retail price of $495.
In addition to fulfillment issues, the shoes fell apart on the court. During a 2019 interview on New York Knicks guard Josh Hart's podcast, Ball joked about his shoes falling apart during the NBA Summer League before his rookie season.
Ball wore the first version of his signature shoe just once before wearing a series of different shoes from various brands throughout the 2017 NBA Summer League. Last July, we broke down Ball's legendary sneaker run in Las Vegas.
By the start of the 2019-20 NBA season, Ball finally ditched his Big Baller Brand sneakers and exclusively wore shoes from Kobe Bryant's signature Nike line during games. Meanwhile, his brother, LaMelo, would become the face of PUMA Basketball one year later.
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