A cryptic PUMA video on LaMelo Ball’s Instagram on Friday could indicate something big for the Hornets guard. After spending a year with the brand and a successful limited edition release, Ball could potentially be set for his own line of apparel and/or his first shoe with the brand.
After signing with the company, Puma’s Global Director of Brand and Marketing Adam Petrick spoke about the possibility of Ball having his own line.
“Petrick added that he definitely can foresee signature LaMelo products coming down the line, with the plan to establish the player both on and off the basketball court.”
The video posted to Ball’s Instagram certainly is teasing something. The MB1 referenced at the end was the name of his first shoe with Big Baller Brand, which could indicate his first shoe with PUMA.
Ball’s breakout season on the court would certainly serve as enough of a launching pad toward his own brand. On top of earning the league’s Rookie of the Year award, he also took home an ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete. While it’s a stretch to call him a household name, he certainly is one of the most popular NBA players and is only climbing upward in that regard.
While PUMA has increased its reach into the NBA in recent years, Ball is almost certainly its most popular athlete and one of the most successful ones already alongside Kyle Kuzma, DeAndre Ayton and DeMarcus Cousins. If Friday’s video isn’t a tease for Ball’s own line, it seems to be a matter of when, not if, he gets one.
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