The sports marketing world has been put on notice by LaVar Ball. The outspoken father of UCLA freshman star Lonzo Ball and high school hoopsters LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball – both of whom also have committed to UCLA – has a monstrous asking price for the athletic apparel companies hoping to sign his sons to a deal.
“A billion dollars, it has to be there,” Ball told USA Today. “That’s our number, a billion, straight out of the gate. And you don’t even have to give it to me all up front. Give us $100 mil over 10 years.”
Worth noting: It’s a package deal. So you’re getting three for the price of … a lot. But at least there’s a 10-year payment option. And you have a few years to save because of those pesky NCAA rules.
And if you think $1 billion sounds outrageous, LaVar Ball had another eye-opening confession in that USA Today feature. And it involves His Airness:
“Back in my heyday, I would kill Michael Jordan one-on-one. … I would just back (Jordan) in and lift him off the ground and call a foul every time he fouls me when I do a jump hook to the right or the left,” said the 6-foot-6, 270-pounds Ball. “He cannot stop me one-on-one. He better make every shot ’cause he can’t go around me. He’s not fast enough. And he can only make so many shots outside before I make every bucket under the rim.”
Well, you certainly can’t claim the family lacks confidence. Remember, the elder Ball also maintains that Lonzo already is a better player than two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry.
It’s certainly a big week for the Balls and their marketing machine. On Friday night, Lonzo Ball and the third-seeded UCLA Bruins open NCAA tournament play against Kent State in the South region.
LaVar Ball believes his sons are worth $1 billion in shoe deal – FOXSports.com