Lonzo Ball Blames Big Baller Brand For Career Health Issues: 'They Were Like Kickball Shoes...'

Early in his career, NBA point guard Lonzo Ball donned the sneakers of his family's company: Big Baller Brand. Today, Lonzo blames BBB for his years-long injury struggles and recently compared the quality to that of kickball shoes.

"I was an Adidas kid since high school, so I was thinking that was going to be the route," Ball said via ESPN. "But what was told to me, I guess, wasn't what really happened. I was told that nobody wanted to partner with me, so my dad was like, 'Just rock the brand.' And I was like, 'All right.' They were like kickball shoes..."

Big Baller Brand is the sneaker-apparel brand owned by Lonzo's dad, LaVar. The idea was that all three Lonzo kids would represent the company and help the family establish their own source of wealth.

But, according to Lonzo, wearing the sneakers during his rookie season may have contributed to the first meniscus injury he suffered in January 2018.

"I think it's a possibility for sure, to be honest with you," Ball said. "I wasn't getting hurt like that until I started wearing them."

The sneakers were described as "unwearable" by Ball in the summer of 2017 and it wasn't until Big Baller Brand reached a deal with Sketchers that Ball finally conceded and agreed to wear them on the court.

Of course, nobody could foresee how much he'd struggle to stay on the court. Before his rookie season in 2017-18, Ball was durable and healthy with no serious injury concerns. But after that meniscus injury in 2018, Ball's health took a nosedive. Over the next four seasons, Lonzo was in and out of the lineup with constant injuries that made him miss at least 20 or more games over months. To date, the most games that Ball has ever played in a single season is 63 in 2019-20.

From 2022-2024, Ball was entirely out of the lineup, costing him two seasons in what should have been his prime. Finally, after several surgeries and countless hours in physical therapy, Ball was able to re-take the court this season for the first time in two years.

With averages of 4.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game on 38.5% shooting, Ball is still working his way back to form, and it's clear that he's got a long way to go before he's in a place where he's comfortable with his game.

For now, Lonzo has to be happy just to be back at all. After two years of inactivity, most fans and experts thought he'd never return but he's shown us all that hard work and dedication can help someone through the most difficult tasks.

Fortunately for Ball, he no longer has to worry about wearing the wrong kind of footwear. After throwing his Big Ballers in the trash, Ball has taken to repping more recognizable brands, such as Nike and Adidas.

As a member of the Bulls, Lonzo will have his next opportunity tonight, against the Spurs at Frost Bank Center at 8:00 PM EST. Tomorrow, Lonzo and the Bulls will lace up again to finish their back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers at 8:00 PM EST. Finally, the Bulls will return home to face the 76ers at 1:00 PM EST on December 8th, 2024.