Tag: Jay Z

WATCH: LaMelo chatting with Jay-Z during halftime on Sunday vs. Nets

LaMelo Ball and Jay-Z spoke briefly at halftime during Charlotte’s 16-point victory.

Nothing proves that you’re a star like Jay-Z wanting to talk to you.

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball met with Jay-Z courtside during halftime of Sunday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, which the Hornets won 111-95.

Ball is repped by Roc Nation Sports, which is owned by Jay-Z. Both of LaMelo’s brother’s, Lonzo and LiAngelo, are also represented by Roc Nation.

Check out the video below and see if you can figure out what LaMelo and Jay are talking about.

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Roc Nation officially announces signing of Lonzo, LiAngelo, LaMelo Ball

Roc Nation Sports officially announced the signing of Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball on Monday.

On Monday morning, Roc Nation Sports officially announced the signing of Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball. The family reportedly chose to sign with the Jay-Z-founded agency in late April. Though it wasn’t confirmed, LaVar Ball’s slew of comments in the aftermath seemed to provide all the confirmation needed.

The Ball family has bounced from agency to agency in recent years. After Lonzo parted ways with Harrison Gaines, the family signed with Creative Artists Agency and were reportedly represented by Leon Rose, former agent of LeBron James. Rose’s appointment as president of the New York Knicks paved the way for the family to depart once again.

While LaVar admitted to considering signing with Klutch Sports, the family ultimately made the move to join Roc Nation Sports. Raymond Brothers will also reportedly represent the family.

Brothers will have some important hurdles and decisions to navigate in the coming months. LaMelo is set to be one of the top picks in the 2020 NBA Draft. Lonzo, meanwhile, can begin negotiating a contract extension with the Pelicans in the off-season.

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LaVar Ball reveals plan for family, sons to meet with Jay-Z before pandemic

Prior to the pandemic closing the world down, LaVar Ball and the Ball family had a meeting planned with Jay-Z and Roc Nation.

While the Ball family’s decision to join Roc Nation came as a surprise to many, it was a move that LaVar Ball revealed was long in the works. LaMelo Ball and Jermaine Jackson teased a meeting on Jay-Z’s private jet but a much bigger meeting was in the works.

On his appearance on Complex’s Load Management podcast, Ball was asked about Jay-Z’s involvement in the recruiting of the family to Roc Nation.

“You know Jay got to get involved. Here’s the thing. I ain’t talked to Jay. He’s got people that work for him so we have to talk to them first. But he’s done talked to my boys. I just haven’t talked to him but my boys have talked to them. And the guys that he’s got lined up that’s on his team, I’ve talked to them. I talked to them over the phone…but with the pandemic going on, nobody can fly around and get that collaboration.

We were actually going to meet up right before everything happened. It was a Clipper game and he was going to come down and watch the Pelicans play the Clippers and that was perfect time but we never got a chance to do that.”

The Clippers game mentioned was slated for Friday, March 13, two days after Rudy Gobert’s positive test for COVID-19 brought the league to a screeching halt. Despite not being able to meet face-to-face, though, the family was able to come to an agreement with Roc Nation.

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LaVar Ball says family considered signing with Klutch Sports before choosing Roc Nation

Prior to joining Jay-Z and Roc Nation, LaVar Ball revealed he and his family considered signing with Klutch Sports and Rich Paul.

For the third time in nearly as many years, the Ball family switched agencies. This change was the most high-profile yet for the family as they left Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and joined Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.

The move was a bit of a surprise as the family has remained linked to Klutch Sports even prior to signing with CAA. Lonzo Ball and LeBron James’ relationship was the main link tying the family to Klutch prior to joining CAA and this time around, LaVar Ball’s relationship with Rich Paul served as more fuel to the fire.

During a podcast appearance on Complex’s Load Management, Ball talked about the process of joining Roc Nation and whether he and the family considered Klutch.

“I think you have to feel it out and see what it is. It might have been Klutch. I still talk to Rich Paul. He’s a good friend. But I got to see what’s best for my boys and their situation for what we’re trying to do.”

This was similar reasoning Ball recently gave as to why the family joined Roc Nation. Ball and the family were focused on a company that put their interests first while alluding to that not happening at CAA.

There are questions as to how much that could happen at Klutch, either. Aside from LeBron James, Klutch hasn’t had many other clients with ventures outside of basketball. That runs in direct contrast to the Ball family, who already notably have a successful reality Facebook series in “Ball in the Family.”

With Roc Nation, the family will be a priority with a company that has its hands in multiple avenues that could pave the way for more opportunities for the family moving forward.

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LaVar Ball talks decision to join Roc Nation: ‘They’re doing exactly what we want to do’

The Ball family made a surprising move to align with Roc Nation Sports. LaVar Ball recently explained the decision in joining the agency.

LaVar Ball and the Ball family made a bit of a surprising move with their decision to join Roc Nation Sports after leaving Creative Artists Agency (CAA) earlier this year. While some expected the family to align with Klutch Sports, Jay-Z’s agency landed the Balls in what could be the first of multiple moves of the two sides linking up.

In an interview with TMZ, Ball talked about the thinking behind the family joining Roc Nation Sports.

“I think you have to go through different agencies to see the one that you need that’s going to have the same mindset as you. I feel like Roc Nation is trying to move in the direction we’re moving in.

But like I said…Roc Nation wants to do exactly what me and my boys want to do.”

The family has jumped around agencies multiple times in recent years. Following the Alan Foster laundering allegations, Lonzo Ball parted ways then agent Harrison Gaines in an unrelated move. Lonzo then joined CAA along with brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo, but that partnership lasted roughly a year before the family left to join Roc Nation Sports.

But the Roc Nation partnership already has a different feel to it. LaVar never had the things to say about CAA that he has said about Roc Nation. With that in mind, it could be the start of a blossoming partnership between the two parties.

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Big Baller Brand, Puma collaboration could be in works, says LaVar Ball

With the Ball family aligning with Roc Nation Sports, a collaboration with PUMA could be the next move for Big Baller Brand.

The Ball family’s decision to join Roc Nation Sports was a move that could have multiple ripple effects. One of the most obvious connections, though, featured PUMA and a potential deal with LaMelo Ball.

Jay-Z, the founder of Roc Nation, also serves as the leader of the basketball division of PUMA. Ball, expected to be one of the top picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, is a sneaker free agent that has been fielding offers from companies.

Naturally, the connection made between the two parties is that Ball could join PUMA. And that move could see him bring Big Baller Brand with him.

During an interview with TMZ, LaVar Ball talked about the possibility of a Big Baller Brand and PUMA collaboration.

“That could be. See, that’s the good thing about dealing with Roc Nation. The possibilities are unlimited…If everything goes right, this thing could be explosive. They said something that I liked which is ‘LaVar, we want to change the game. We want to do something special.’ That terminology right there means I’m supposed to be with you guys because my boys are special.”

Ball also cleared the air on how big Baller Brand is operating as they move, confirming he’s still in charge and the brand will move together as a family going forward.

“I’m always going to be in control of Big Baller Brand. Like I said, my boys are always going to be with me. We’re going to make moves together. That’s what people don’t understand. We don’t care how they think. They can try to split us up or do whatever. We’re always going to be a family brand. Ain’t nothing they can say or do to make us divide.”

A PUMA-Big Baller Brand collaboration could be an interesting move for both sides. While PUMA has stepped up its presence in the NBA in recent years, it’s still lacking a high-profile figure and star appeal that other brands have.

Big Baller Brand, meanwhile, has largely floundered in the last year as LaMelo and Lonzo have distanced from the brand. While the company has the name-brand appeal, it lacks the physical product or infrastructure to capitalize on that popularity.

A collaboration between the two would be a bigger risk for PUMA but could combine their infrastructure with Big Baller Brand’s name appeal. If it pays off, it could be a huge win for both parties. But all of this is making the assumption LaMelo signs with PUMA as well.

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LaMelo Ball posts Jay-Z song to Instagram story, hints at potential next move

With his deal with Roc Nation Sports announced, LaMelo Ball could be hinting at his next move with a shoe company on social media.

On Monday, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball signed with Roc Nation, ending multiple weeks of speculation as to which agency would be the family’s next stop after leaving Creative Artists Agency. While the family will be represented by Raymond Brothers, Roc Nation is obviously known for its founder, Jay-Z.

Also notable is Jay-Z’s involvement in PUMA. In early 2018, Jay-Z was named the head of PUMA Basketball. Around that time, the company began a more aggressive approach in bringing in basketball talent, landing DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley and RJ Barrett.

LaMelo took to his Instagram on Tuesday to upload a series of posts to his story with Jay-Z’s “Song Cry” in the background.

Shortly after, Ball tweeted another cryptic message foretelling more moves to come for him and his family.

Ball’s next big move will likely be his shoe deal, which will almost certainly be the biggest one of his draft class. His manager Jermaine Jackson noted that he is still fielding offers but aligning with Roc Nation and Jay-Z likely gives PUMA an inside track.

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Report: Ball brothers to sign with Roc Nation, Raymond Brothers

After multiple weeks of searching for representation, the Ball family will sign with Roc Nation and Raymond Brothers, Roc Nation’s President of Basketball.

After multiple weeks of searching for representation, the Ball family will sign with Roc Nation and Raymond Brothers, Roc Nation’s President of Basketball, as reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony on Monday.

Givony spoke with Jermaine Jackson, LaMelo Ball’s manager, on the decision to sign with Roc Nation.

“This was a family decision. This is now an extended family. They put together a beautiful game plan with Jay-Z. The basketball game is about to change. They are going to create something totally new.”

Roc Nation Sports was founded by music mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter was founded in 2013, kickstarted by Robinson Cano’s signing with the New York Yankees. Since that date, it has grown to represent athletes such as Kyrie Irving, Markelle Fultz and Saquon Barkley.

Jackson and LaMelo appeared to have held a meeting with Roc Nation in late February. Pictures posted by Jackson to a secondary Instagram account showed Carter’s private jet.

The three brothers were formerly represented by Creative Artists Agency. The trio left the agency in early March. Some reports suggested that Leon Rose, who potentially represented LaMelo, leaving to take a front office position with the Knicks led to departure of the family.

The move to Roc Nation comes at a critical time with the family. Lonzo can begin negotiating an extension in the upcoming off-season. LiAngelo, meanwhile, will be looking at potential Summer League and G League deals in the off-season and into next season as well. And, most obvious, LaMelo will be one of the top draft picks in the 2020 NBA Draft.

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Did LaMelo Ball and Jermaine Jackson meet with Jay-Z and Roc Nation?

As the Ball family looks to move on from Creative Artists Agency, Roc Nation could be a landing spot for at least one of the Ball brothers.

As reports of Lonzo Ball parting ways with Creative Artists Agency surfaced earlier in the week, it appears LaMelo Ball and his manager Jermaine Jackson have already begun taking steps to find a new agency.

A little bit of digging is necessary, but it appears Ball and Jackson met with either Jay-Z himself or Roc Nation.

Roughly two weeks ago, Jackson started an Instagram Live broadcast from an airport showing off a private jet. The broadcast did not come from his main Instagram, which is under the username purplegoat1, but instead a second account. This secondary account, which is under the username make_someone_smile_everyday, doesn’t directly identify itself as Jackson’s account but has a picture of him as the profile picture and consistently posts about Jackson’s son, Jermaine Jackson Jr. The account has also posted pictures and videos of LaMelo Ball as well.

During the Instagram Live broadcast, both the registration of the plane and a partial glimpse of a logo are seen. While the logo is hard to specifically identify as the whole thing is not shown, the registration number takes all the guessing work out of it (h/t LonzoPage/Instagram).

Fans of Jay-Z will likely quickly pick up on the registration number. 444 references 4:44, Jay-Z’s 13th studio album. The SC stands for his real name, Shawn Carter. All of the information is available online to officially link the jet to Jay-Z.

The move could mean multiple things for Ball’s future. Roc Nation’s client list in basketball is a growing one considering the sports management division only began in 2013. Their current client list is highlighted by Kyrie Irving while the likes of Caris LeVert, Danny Green, Markelle Fultz, Marcus and Markieff Morris and Skylar Diggins-Smith all are among the other Roc Nation clients.

Jay-Z also has links with Puma, officially listed as a creative director with the shoe brand. In recent seasons, Puma has re-entered the basketball market with DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley and RJ Barrett being some of the recent high-profile players to join the company.

Ball’s relationship, or lack thereof, with Big Baller Brand has been publicized. Despite advances by the company toward Ball during its recent redesign, Ball has relented, instead choosing to keep his options open. Puma could certainly be one of those options.

Ball is likely looking to lock down an agency prior to the pre-draft process which will begin in the coming weeks and months as the NBA and NCAA seasons come to a close. For now, all of this is an interesting footnote to keep in mind as the family looks to move to another agency.

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