As the future of the Big Baller Brand hangs in the balance, LaMelo Ball — the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft — is being aggressively pursued by sneaker companies such as Nike. Ball has worn the iconic swoosh on his feet since arriving to Australia, but the 18-year-old will weigh all of his offers before making a decision, and he got an eye-popping one on Monday.
According to ESPN NBL analyst Corey “Homicide” Williams, Ball has received a $100 million offer from a sneaker company that includes a private jet:
“I just got off the phone with a source close to me in America that just told me a sneaker company has offered LaMelo Ball a private jet and $100 million. They want to endorse this kid.”
That’s a big number for a player that yet to play a game in the NBA, but the $100 million would likely be over a 10-year period. That means Ball would get paid $10 million annually over the next 10 years from his shoe deal alone. While that wouldn’t be the richest rookie shoe deal in NBA history, it would be up there. Plus, the number of years would be unprecedented.
This could ultimately just be a leak from Ball’s camp to rev up the bidding war for the youngest and arguably most famous Ball brother’s signature, but one thing’s for certain: Ball will have no shortage of options by the time draft night rolls around.
