LaVar Ball Isn't A Marketing Genius, He's A Moron

For months the sports world has been unsure what to make of LaVar Ball. Was he just a crazy, overbearing, loudmouthed parent, or was he some kind of down-low genius who was keeping the world focused on him and his kids while laughing all the way to the bank? After Thursday’s reveal of Big Baller Brand’s new products we have our answer. The patriarch of the Ball family isn’t a marketing genius, he’s a moron.

Lonzo Ball’s first “signature shoe,” the ZO2 Prime are not only hideous, they cost $495.

Oh but we’re not done. You can also get an autographed pair of Lonzo’s new shoes for between $995 and $1,195, or a pair of “signature slides” for $220. Yep, that’s real, $220 for slides and roughly $1,000 for shoes autographed by a kid who hasn’t played an NBA game.

Clearly those products are wildly expensive and an infinitesimal number of consumers can afford them. The prices were ridiculed on Twitter and LaVar responded in typical LaVar fashion:

Yeah, if you can’t afford his insanely overpriced ugly products then he doesn’t want you as a customer! The dude is so “good” at this whole marketing thing that he just took a shot at a huge pool of potential customers. Nice work.

When LaVar was making media appearances over the last six months, most people figured he had some grand plan and was playing us all for suckers. That’s clearly not the case. He’s not some crazy genius working three moves ahead of the rest of us, he’s just crazy.

I think people have been holding out hope that LaVar’s crazy antics were just an unorthodox way to promote his kids and raise their level of fame. But it became clear when shoe companies began running away from the Ball clan, that the father had made things about himself, not his sons. Instead of negotiating a solid deal for Lonzo, LaVar has insisted on those companies licensing Big Baller Brand. They’re not going to do that for the sake of a rookie who isn’t exactly LeBron James in the personality department.

Lonzo actually seems like a nice kid, but he doesn’t talk much and isn’t incredibly engaging. Let’s just say I don’t think he’ll be hosting Saturday Night Live any time soon. So why would an established shoe company bend over backwards and pay a ridiculous amount of cash to accommodate him and his loudmouth of a father? LaVar’s antics are costing his son money.

LaVar Ball has made this whole process about himself, not what’s best for his kids. By doing so he’s actually hurt them, while making himself look like an idiot. Thursday’s reveal of Big Baller’s product line just cemented that fact.