Stephen A. Smith appreciates LaVar Ball's vision for an independent Big Baller Brand, but the way he has gone about bringing that vision to materialize is going to hurt his son, Lonzo, in the long run, he says.
Smith dedicated a couple of minutes to addressing the $495 roll out of Lonzo's signature ZO2 sneaker during Friday's [May 5] episode of First Take. Off the bat, the ESPN host stated that he doesn't think pursuing autonomy in the sneaker/apparel business so soon was a good move for Big Baller Brand. Smith projected that Lonzo could have made between $2 and $3 million per year, settling on a 4 to 5 year deal with a corporation like Nike, but now risks leaving that money on the table should it turn out that he doesn't live up to expectations on the court.
Fans will recall Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas confirming the news that they each had turned down the proposition Ball's father made to them. The elder Ball was very vocal about being passed over, promising that he'd find a means to go solo with BBB, even if it means linking up with some Chinese companies for production and distribution. Essentially, Ball let it be known that he and his son will not be pursuing an endorsement, but rather, a co-branding deal. In defending his pursuit in the press, Ball pointed out examples of companies that challenged the dominant model of their respective industry, arguing that his vision is as valid as any, somebody's just got to have the determination and work ethic to see it through.
Such has been Ball's attitude concerning all matters Lonzo, over the past several months, and to Smith's determination, it is doing more harm for his son than it's helping him. "I don't like the way he's handling it at all, and I think ultimately a lot of folks are not gonna like it either, and they're going to take it out on his son because they can't necessarily take it out on him. That's my fear," said Smith.
Source: youtube.com
