NBA veteran Lonzo Ball has been a viral sensation since high school. With his father, LaVar, offering his son unwavering support, Ball became a five-star recruit, played at UCLA, and was selected No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft.
His father, along with Alan Foster, founded the Big Baller Brand apparel line. Lonzo wore BBB shoes during his early years in the NBA with the Lakers.
However, the team discouraged him from wearing them long-term because of concerns about quality and potential injury risks.
Lonzo Ball Reveals Reason Why He Stopped Wearing Big Baller Brand Shoes
During Tuesday’s joint ‘Ball in the Family’ and ‘BAHA Podcast,’ Ball shared the story behind his decision to stop wearing the shoes his family promoted. He addressed the topic diplomatically, saying he tried to wear them for a “fair amount of time.”
But the Lakers raised concerns about the shoes’ quality and shared a video presentation to make their case.
“(A team official) called me in the office and called him (Lonzo Ball’s personal manager and friend Darren Moore) into the office too, played a video,” Ball said. “They were like, ‘Bro, look at this sh*t.’ And it was like my shoe was already turning before like I hit the ground type sh*t like you can’t wear these no more.”
Although Ball did not fully identify the Lakers official who called and discouraged him from wearing the BBB shoe, Moore alluded to Lakers president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka, who met with Ball’s team and asked them to replace the sneakers with the latest models that are safe for the feet.
“Like, think about that. Like the GM actually calling us into the office, like breaking down footage of the shoe,” Moore said.
Ball admitted he already knew about the issue with the shoes, saying he “did not want to wear them in the first place.”
But as the old saying goes, “Blood is thicker than water,” so he decided to support his father and wear the shoes out of love.
In March 2019, Ball revealed in an ESPN interview that he had cut ties with Foster, who was accused of enriching himself through Ball’s business and personal finances. He later removed references to BBB from his social media pages.
After that period, Ball chose the Nike Kobe line for his on-court footwear.
After his stint with the Lakers, Ball played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, he also suffered a series of knee injuries that affected his play and longevity. He was traded to the Utah Jazz on February 5, 2026, and waived the same day.
