BREAKING: LaMelo Ball Is Finalizing An Endorsement Deal With Puma

CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — Global basketball sensation LaMelo Ball has yet to play his first few minutes in the NBA, but the 19-year-old reportedly has a shoe deal lined up already.

Ball is reportedly finalizing a deal with Puma, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania. He is the first Ball brother not to sign with Big Baller Brand.

The deal is far from unexpected because last spring 2020, D.M. Fashion Book reported that LaMelo, Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball signed representation agreements with Shawn Jay-Z Carter‘s Sports Management company, Roc Nation Sports (see it here). In 2018, Jay-Z joined Puma in a high profile role — he was named President of Puma Basketball.

LaMelo Ball has emerged as possibly a top pick in the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft, he is currently the No. 4 pick in Sports Illustrated‘s latest mock draft. He landed a signature shoe deal and signed with an agent in 11th grade, which made him ineligible to play college basketball, therefore he became the youngest American to play a professional game after he joined a team in Lithuania at 16. He has played professionally in Lithuania and Australia, but has never played a truly significant game in the United States. He is the most famous in the 2020 draft and most well-known mystery in sports. When his name is called early during the NBA draft, another journey will begin: one he must navigate on his own.

On August 20th, the Minnesota Timberwolves won NBA Draft Lottery 2020 presented by State Farm®, which was conducted at the NBA office in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Timberwolves will have the first overall pick in NBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm, which is scheduled to be held on Friday, Oct. 16.

Ball is looking to become the second member of his family to be drafted in the lottery after Lonzo Ball was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. LiAngelo Ball is currently a member of Oklahoma City‘s G League team.

Photos Credit: Instagram Reproduction