Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball finally returned to an NBA court this season. He missed two full seasons with a litany of leg injuries and surgeries. Ball has not yet been quite as dynamic as he was before the injuries. He also missed a month of action after an unrelated wrist injury kept him out of the lineup for 15 games. But, once he gets back into game shape, he will be a valuable contributor to an NBA team. Whether that's in Chicago or on a contending roster looking for the piece that can make them a championship-winning team.
On Thursday, ESPN published an extensive piece detailing Lonzo Ball's 1000-day road to recovery. For the first time, Ball spoke at length about the effect that playing in the Big Baller Brand sneakers had on his body. He compared the first version of the sneakers to "kickball shoes." He only played in them twice during Summer League games. The second version of the shoe, which was manufactured by Skechers, were better. But Ball was still not a fan. His first major knee injury came in January 2018, when he wore the shoes as a rookie. “I think it’s a possibility for sure, to be honest with you,” Ball said when asked if the Big Baller Brand shoes contributed to his knee problems. “I wasn’t really getting hurt like that until I started wearing them.” The injuries and surgeries piled up until Ball opted for a cartilage replacement surgery, an unknown procedure in the athletics world. This meant that there would be no precedent to look to. It worked, and now Ball is back to doing what he loves.
Lonzo Ball Believes Big Baller Brand Sneakers May Have Contributed To Injury History
NBA fans will recognize "Big Baller Brand" as the basketball apparel brand that the once-ubiquitous LaVar Ball started while his sons were still playing at the amateur level. BBB existed to compete with other major brands and to separate the Ball brothers from the rest of the NBA. The ZO2s, which launched concurrently with BBB itself, first hit the market with a staggering $500 price tag. Ball previously recalled the sneakers being so poorly made that he'd have to change into a new pair every quarter because of how easily they ripped.
In the new ESPN profile, Lonzo Ball also recalled wanting to sign with Adidas in high school. He decided to bet on the success of Big Baller Brand instead. Though the brand still exists, Ball plays his NBA games in Nikes now. However, he has not signed an exclusive contract anywhere. In 2020, his younger brother LaMelo inked a nine-figure deal to become the face of Puma's re-entry into the basketball market (under the creative direction of Jay-Z). Hopefully, the rest of Lonzo's NBA journey is without any significant injury.
