Kicks

LaMelo Ball's Love for Basketball Inspired His New PUMA Sneakers

The PUMA MB.04 "1Love" colorway drops on October 25 for $125.

Michael Ehrlich

The PUMA MB.04 in the "1Love" colorway.
The PUMA MB.04 in the "1Love" colorway. / PUMA
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Ahead of the new NBA season, sneaker brands have been busy launching new models and colorways for their top athlete endorsers. Out of the entire crowded industry, PUMA might be the most active of them all.

On Tuesday evening, PUMA released the latest colorway of Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball's fourth signature sneaker. The model, which is wildly popular with the youngest generations of hoopers is inspired by Ball's unique fashion sense and "otherworldly" style of play.

According to PUMA, the MB.04 "1Love" colorway takes the basketball shoe game to new heights, blending performance with a unique, intergalactic aesthetic. 

The bold, acidic color scheme of the MB.04 "1Love" reflects Ball's personal style and love for the game. A supportive double-layered mesh upper allows for added comfort, a TPU support in the forefoot provides stability and a compression-molded EVA foam creates superior responsiveness and cushioning while maintaining a lightweight profile.

LaMelo Ball's red and yellow PUMA sneakers.
The PUMA MB.04 in the "1Love" colorway. / PUMA

An alien tentacle-inspired 5D printed upper incorporates hidden Ball phrases like "1 OF ONE" and "RARE," while the outsole showcases a hovering spaceship, "NOT FROM HERE" and "RARE" wording. Flames at the heel further emphasize the collection's "out-of-this-world" theme.

In addition to the shoe launch, PUMA will release a 1Love apparel collection that reflects Ball's unique personality and commitment to pushing boundaries on and off the court.

Retailing between $50-$125, the PUMA MB.04 "1Love" and its accompanying apparel collection officially launches on Friday, October 25. Shoppers can find the sneakers and apparel at Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, PUMA.com and the PUMA Flagship store. 

LaMelo Ball's red and yellow PUMA sneakers.
The PUMA MB.04 in the "1Love" colorway. / PUMA

Ball wore the MB.04 "1Love" in the latest chapter of PUMA's star-studded global marketing campaign, “FOREVER. FASTER. – See The Game Like We Do.”

The 23-year-old point guard was joined in the commercial by PUMA's newest athlete signee Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson, Breanna Stewart of the WNBA champion New York Liberty, and college star Flau’jae Johnson.

Ball, who is entering his 5th season with Charlotte, averaged nearly 24 points and 8 assists a season ago. Ball and the Hornets tip off the new season officially on October 23, when they host the Houston Rockets.

Athletes and fans can count on Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all of their most important footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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