Lonzo Ball has likely earned himself millions of dollars on the court, but his father, LaVar Ball, might've cost him millions off the court.
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According to ESPN's Darren Rovell, LaVar Ball declined shoe deals from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour for $10 million in search of a more lucrative deal.
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A deal worth $10 million from one of those companies would have doubled Lonzo's rookie salary. If Lonzo is selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, he will earn about $4.5 million during each of the next two seasons based on the 2016-17 rookie wage scale.
Ben Simmons, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, signed a shoe deal with Nike worth $7.5 million before last year's draft. The shoe contract was worth more than his rookie salary with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Shoe deals for rookies have declined in recent years, and no player has been offered a deal worth more than $10 million since John Wall in 2010.
Instead of signing with a major company, LaVar Ball opted to use his own Big Baller Brand to market his son's shoe. Lonzo's signature shoe can be purchased from anywhere from $495 to $695 from the Big Baller Brand.
During an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Rovell said he was surprised LaVar Ball didn't opt to revisit the offers from the big shoe companies once the Los Angeles Lakers secured the No. 2 overall pick. Lonzo Ball has been linked to the Lakers for some time, and LaVar has said in the past that he wants his son to be a Laker.
Maybe Lonzo's shoe will sell if he becomes a member of the Lakers, but it's hard to imagine the Ball family will make anywhere close to what the bigger shoe companies were offering.
LaVar Ball has been relentless in marketing his son, but it could've backfired already based on how much money Lonzo could have made.
(h/t Bleacher Report)
