$100M and a private jet?
LaMelo Ball is projected as one of the top picks in the 2020 NBA Draft and, as a result, he will have multiple sneaker companies vying for his services. In fact, NBL analyst Corey Williams reports that LaMelo has already received a $100 million sneaker deal, which includes his own private jet. That said, it remains to be seen which brand allegedly made the lucrative offer.
To put things in perspective, Zion Williamson’s deal with Jordan Brand checked in at five years, $75 million, which works out to $15M annually. LeBron James’ rookie sneaker deal with Nike was for seven-years, $90 million.
LaMelo, 18, is currently sidelined with a foot injury but it is believed that he could be ready to play again in a week or two. Of course, there is talk that the superstar point guard will opt to shut it down for the remainder of the season rather than risk further injuring himself ahead of the draft.
In 13 games with the Illawarra Hawks, Ball averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. During those contests, the 6’7 guard routinely laced up , specifically the Nike KD 4 and Nike KD 12. That could serve as a hint as to which brand LaMelo is hoping to sign with, but there’s no doubt he and his team will be willing to listen to any $100M offers that comes across the table.