LaMello Ball might be a young basketball player, but that doesn’t mean he’ll fall into the typical pro-baller trappings of spending his earnings on extravagant cars and jewelry. Instead, Ball is saving and investing his money, a talent he learned watching his father, LaVar Ball.
“It’s something to get when you work hard, I guess,” Ball said in a recent interview with Edition. “It’s cool to care for some of your people. It’s blessings that way. I just wanna keep working and keep my head on straight, staying in the gym and, hopefully, more will come.”
Ball reportedly has a net worth of $20 million and is a point guard with the Charlotte Hornets. He was first introduced to the world through the Facebook Watch reality show “Ball in the Family,” which featured his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball as well as his father. After playing basketball in high school and for the SPIRE Institute, Ball decided to forgo playing college basketball at UCLA and play in Australia. In 2020, Ball was selected third in the NBA draft pick, signing a two-year, $16 million contract. In July, Ball extended his contract, agreeing on a five-year rookie max extension that is said to be valued at $260 million.
An Entrepreneurial Mindset
Even before landing a spot on an NBA team, Ball had leveraged his popularity and abilities to land a lucrative endorsement deal with PUMA, reportedly worth $100 million. He also has launched his own lifestyle brand, LaFrance, focused on streetwear and sportswear.
“Just being around my pops – and he was always big on that, starting the whole Big Baller Brand – I wanted to start my own thing,” Ball told Edition.
Ball’s brand recently was able to collaborate with PUMA to create LaFrance Collection, a line committed to dramatic styles for wearing on and off the court.
“I am excited to bring my two worlds together, PUMA and LaFrancé,” Ball told Sports Illustrated. “This will be a Rare exclusive collection to my fans. With the idea that you’re 1 of 1 forever. These pieces are perfect for on and off-the-court style.”
The line is set to drop on Oct. 6.
“All of the designs come from my head when I sit down with the creators,” LaMelo told Edition. “My whole identity is thrown on the shoe and I don’t know if everyone has as much say [as I do]. Over here, I got a lot of say and get to put whatever I want on my shoe when it comes to how it looks.”
