Lonzo and his brother Chuck Cunningham and his other brother Chuck Cunningham

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,673
He also said on Dale and Holley that all white teenagers drove around in $100,000 cars. He was "probably" joking but still, not a great look.

For the record I don't think LaVar is a racist, just really stupid.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,094
He also said on Dale and Holley that all white teenagers drove around in $100,000 cars. He was "probably" joking but still, not a great look.

For the record I don't think LaVar is a racist, just really stupid.
Looking forward to the ad where LaVar gives a white point guard a Pepsi.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor all passed on Lonzo due to Lavar
To clarify, they passed because LaVar insisted that they become partners in his garbage Big Ballers Brand.
He's a dude who goes to the farmer's market with a dozen ripe apples (Lonzo), a dozen unripe apples (LaMelo) some sticks (the other one) and a rotting goat carcass. Then tells buyers they have to take all 4 products and the price is $750,000.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,278
If i was Lonzo i would be beyond pissed at my father. He just cost him a shit load of money. Go fire your father and get a real agent who knows what the fuck they are doing.
 

RetractableRoof

tolerates intolerance
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2003
3,836
Quincy, MA
If i was Lonzo i would be beyond pissed at my father. He just cost him a shit load of money. Go fire your father and get a real agent who knows what the fuck they are doing.
In all likelihood this kid doesn't understand that his father is a nutjob, or thinks that he is harmless, or worst case scenario his father "has always been right in his predictions before" and the kid needs to see everything fall hard before he believes what you are saying to be true.

Think about what this kid has seen about his father and their environment prior to this... his influence on the college team/environment, high school, probably every BB camp up until now. His father has probably told the kid that he can manipulate the situation to get him to the Lakers so the family can all stay local, etc. I wouldn't take him if I were a GM, so he really may have orchestrated his son's way into Laker town... just by being nutty, or borderline racist to a couple of teams or on the media in those teams towns.

Personally I hope this whole endeavor with the old man falls on its face and the kid ends up having to earn his way in the NBA like most players instead of it being a coronation the way the dad is planning.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,278
In all likelihood this kid doesn't understand that his father is a nutjob, or thinks that he is harmless, or worst case scenario his father "has always been right in his predictions before" and the kid needs to see everything fall hard before he believes what you are saying to be true.

Think about what this kid has seen about his father and their environment prior to this... his influence on the college team/environment, high school, probably every BB camp up until now. His father has probably told the kid that he can manipulate the situation to get him to the Lakers so the family can all stay local, etc. I wouldn't take him if I were a GM, so he really may have orchestrated his son's way into Laker town... just by being nutty, or borderline racist to a couple of teams or on the media in those teams towns.

Personally I hope this whole endeavor with the old man falls on its face and the kid ends up having to earn his way in the NBA like most players instead of it being a coronation the way the dad is planning.

I give it a month into the season until his father starts calling out players/coaches and the gm of whichever team drafts him. Which will then piss off his teammates
 

P'tucket rhymes with...

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2006
11,624
The Coney Island of my mind
In all likelihood this kid doesn't understand that his father is a nutjob, or thinks that he is harmless, or worst case scenario his father "has always been right in his predictions before" and the kid needs to see everything fall hard before he believes what you are saying to be true.

Think about what this kid has seen about his father and their environment prior to this... his influence on the college team/environment, high school, probably every BB camp up until now. His father has probably told the kid that he can manipulate the situation to get him to the Lakers so the family can all stay local, etc. I wouldn't take him if I were a GM, so he really may have orchestrated his son's way into Laker town... just by being nutty, or borderline racist to a couple of teams or on the media in those teams towns.

Personally I hope this whole endeavor with the old man falls on its face and the kid ends up having to earn his way in the NBA like most players instead of it being a coronation the way the dad is planning.
There's no way that's not happening. If he can play he stays; if not, he goes.

At least for the teams, I'd guess a lot of these questions about how much autonomy Lonzo has carved out for himself get sorted out in the pre-draft interview process. If he's under dad's spell, I take a hard pass; if not, the question is determining how ready he is to ignore the noise dad generates over the course of the season. I don't see front office guys, coaches, or other players holding it against Lonzo if he can roll his eyes with the rest of them when dad goes off the deep end.
 

ElUno20

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
6,055
How much money did he cost his kid? Honest question, what's the value for a top pick these days? Sub $100 mill right?


Edit: ben Simmons got $20 million last year
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,278
How much money did he cost his kid? Honest question, what's the value for a top pick these days? Sub $100 mill right?


Edit: ben Simmons got $20 million last year
He lost out on a shoe deal because his dad is an idiot
 

Drocca

darrell foster wallace
SoSH Member
Jul 21, 2005
17,585
Raleigh, NC
Actually not necessarily. John Wall is playing without a shoe deal this year and that was just for disagreeing about money. If a superstar can go a year with a deal and the shoe world still turns then a minor celebrity player like Ball might go without as well.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
Exactly. When/If he plays in the NBA to expectations, he'll get his shoe deal...and if he plays well enough, he'll get a better one than was declined today.
Possible, but he won't get the deal he wants, he'll likely just get something similar to what he could get now but a year later, with more downside.
The biggest shoe deals are for a few MVP candidate players, Ball is unlikely to ever reach that level, especially since he's unlikely to be an elite scorer or a flashy beat guys off the dribble player.

What kind of shoe deal do solid PGs get (Hill, Teague, Conley, Lowry)? I mean the odds are really high he's never even close to the player Lowry or Conley are, and both those guys have moderate sized shoe deals with no personal branding or advertising outside their home market.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
He could always create his own brand of shoe.
Sure. in the same way that people who like food can open a restaurant. Hypothetically possible assuming you don't mind the 80%+ chance it fails and you lose all your money.
 

reggiecleveland

sublime
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2004
27,958
Saskatoon Canada
Actually not necessarily. John Wall is playing without a shoe deal this year and that was just for disagreeing about money. If a superstar can go a year with a deal and the shoe world still turns then a minor celebrity player like Ball might go without as well.
My kid has the Wall shoe. They are a great shoe, light, grippy, balanced.
She is great defender and I have great pic of her taking a charge and you see WALL on the soles of the shoes.

I have decided against sharing a picture of my 12 year old daughter.
 

Soxfan in Fla

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2001
7,187
My kid has the Wall shoe. They are a great shoe, light, grippy, balanced.
She is great defender and I have great pic of her taking a charge and you see WALL on the soles of the shoes.

I have decided against sharing a picture of my 12 year old daughter.
Impressed. My daughter is also 12 and a good player. She does not have the courage to take a charge yet. To be fair she's been sick for the last 8 months. Even if she was healthy I don't think she'd have the courage to take one yet. She was more fearless on D when she was 9.
 

johnmd20

mad dog
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 30, 2003
61,996
New York City
Impressed. My daughter is also 12 and a good player. She does not have the courage to take a charge yet. To be fair she's been sick for the last 8 months. Even if she was healthy I don't think she'd have the courage to take one yet. She was more fearless on D when she was 9.
Is she defending Lebron?
 

reggiecleveland

sublime
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2004
27,958
Saskatoon Canada
Impressed. My daughter is also 12 and a good player. She does not have the courage to take a charge yet. To be fair she's been sick for the last 8 months. Even if she was healthy I don't think she'd have the courage to take one yet. She was more fearless on D when she was 9.
She is the Quinn Buckner of her age group. Below average offensively, but loves to pressure the ball. She takes charges on her check, she just beats kids to the spot and they run her over. There was probably a solid yer where she reached in and fouled every time. She has learned to not reach and as a skinny kid doesn't have to flop, she just gets knocked over. Learning to stand in on help side is another thing.

Back to shoes, funny how much the fame of the player enters into it, and annoys me as a parent. My son has Curries which are an inferior shoe (IMHO) and much more expensive. The Wall shoes were dirt cheap, perhaps in anticipation JW may switch to another company.

Another pet peeve in the fashion of 250 dollar hoop shoes, in the shiny, vinyl, kinda patent leather shit they put on them. These pretty plastics are impractical and in some shoes a piece of it splits away an creates a sharp edge and cuts other players when they collide. My son has big scar on his leg from some kid's swoosh that had separated from the shoe.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
So beyond them being ridiculously overpriced (also no returns or exchanges?) and looking like a re-painted K-Mart shoe...... they're using all 3 kids to endorse it, which is an open and shut NCAA amateurism violation. LaMelo and LiAngelo are both now decent bets to have significant suspensions in their Freshman seasons.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,278
How much of that $$$ is the father getting and how much is going to Lonzo?

80/20?
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
Side note.... I bet that the ridiculous prices, and almost 7 month out delivery date means that they have no money for production. They have to wait until they've sold a certain amount (or Lonzo gets some paychecks) before they'll have the money to pay whatever shitty factory they're hiring to produce the shoes.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

Homeland Security
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2005
19,615
Portsmouth, NH
Side note.... I bet that the ridiculous prices, and almost 7 month out delivery date means that they have no money for production. They have to wait until they've sold a certain amount (or Lonzo gets some paychecks) before they'll have the money to pay whatever shitty factory they're hiring to produce the shoes.
Of course that's why and I'm sure they're already in the hole a bit from design, marketing, prototype and trademarking/patent fees.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
so he actually did make his own shoe brand? This isn't someone else producing the shoe with Ball's face on it?
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
so he actually did make his own shoe brand? This isn't someone else producing the shoe with Ball's face on it?
I mean it's some generic shoe factory making it, but yes it's his brand. Shoes are pretty cheap to make if they don't have any high end sole tech. It's probably just nylon foam and rubber.
 

sox311

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 30, 2004
1,753
That's what she said.
"This one is for the culture."

Is that the slogan? Because if so, it isn't good. And also, that makes a really small demographic that is included in said "culture."

Wow...
 

djbayko

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
25,897
Los Angeles, CA
Side note.... I bet that the ridiculous prices, and almost 7 month out delivery date means that they have no money for production. They have to wait until they've sold a certain amount (or Lonzo gets some paychecks) before they'll have the money to pay whatever shitty factory they're hiring to produce the shoes.
I find it interesting that sizes 14+ are $200 more. The ridiculous brand/endorsement markup really doesn't cover however many square inches of material are needed for each size?
 

moly99

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 28, 2007
939
Seattle
I actually think they will do alright if Ball turns out to be a good player. From a purely economic standpoint they are doing the right things: eliminating the middleman and staying in the news to promote your brand is good even if it means media criticism. See the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Marilyn Manson, etc.

The shoes themselves are overpriced pieces of shit, but that is true of 99% of brand merchandise. It's not like you'll ever see Tom Brady endorsing Bill's Khakis. A New England company that makes stuff in America is never going to have the money to afford him. Companies like Under Armour that sell cheap crap from China are the ones that spend money on athlete endorsements.
 

johnmd20

mad dog
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 30, 2003
61,996
New York City
I actually think they will do alright if Ball turns out to be a good player. From a purely economic standpoint they are doing the right things: eliminating the middleman and staying in the news to promote your brand is good even if it means media criticism. See the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Marilyn Manson, etc.

The shoes themselves are overpriced pieces of shit, but that is true of 99% of brand merchandise. It's not like you'll ever see Tom Brady endorsing Bill's Khakis. A New England company that makes stuff in America is never going to have the money to afford him. Companies like Under Armour that sell cheap crap from China are the ones that spend money on athlete endorsements.
500 bucks for a pair means Ball has to be an astoundingly great player. Not just good. It's hard to see these shoes selling. 500 dollars is too much. Ball isn't Kanye.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
I actually think they will do alright if Ball turns out to be a good player. From a purely economic standpoint they are doing the right things: eliminating the middleman and staying in the news to promote your brand is good even if it means media criticism. See the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Marilyn Manson, etc.

The shoes themselves are overpriced pieces of shit, but that is true of 99% of brand merchandise. It's not like you'll ever see Tom Brady endorsing Bill's Khakis. A New England company that makes stuff in America is never going to have the money to afford him. Companies like Under Armour that sell cheap crap from China are the ones that spend money on athlete endorsements.
Under Armour stuff is pretty decent quality, honestly all the high end basketball shoes are well made and have some really interesting tech development in them. Even then they sell between $95 and $180 usually. BBB isn't going anywhere if they charge $500 for what are clearly inferior products, especially since they don't have the aparatus in place to hit with new models new colorways, customs, new tech every few years etc. You have to be pretty incredible as a player to sell garbage shoes, I'm not sure it's even possible without a hyper-competitive price point.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,464
Also side note- A lot of people think that if Adidas was interested in pressing it that fake boost is probably not going to fly in an IP lawsuit. I doubt Adidas bothers yet, but at some point they might drop the hammer on him for fun.