Lonzo Ball not negotiating shoe deal with Nike despite wearing Kobes at summer league

Lonzo Ball is sticking with Big Baller Brand.

Despite ditching his Big Baller Brand shoes for Nikes at the Las Vegas summer league on Wednesday, Lonzo Ball is not negotiating a sneaker deal with Nike, his father, LaVar, told ESPN’s Darren Rovell. 

Ball wore different variations on his signature BBB shoes in his first two summer league games but laced up Nike’s Kobe A.D.s against the Sixers on Wednesday night. He said after the game that he wore the shoes because he was trying to channel Kobe’s “Mamba mentality.”

Ball, though, has no plans to make Nike his sole footwear. LaVar told Rovell in a text that there are presently “no negotiations with Nike.”

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LaVar previously tried to get Nike, Under Armour and Adidas to license Big Baller Brand. They said no.

The Ball family is currently selling Lonzo’s signature shoe, the ZO2, for $495. They’re taking preorders now but the shoes won’t be in customers’ hands until at least late November.