Expected lottery pick LaMelo Ball has signed an agreement with PUMA Basketball to be its newest ambassador. Although this news was first reported in August, the official announcement was made this past Wednesday.
In a release, Ball said “I believe the brand is the perfect partner for me because PUMA will allow me to just be myself. I want to be 100-percent authentic whether that’s playing basketball or showing off my personal style and that’s what I want to do with PUMA.”
Aside from being a part of the highly spectated Ball family, LaMelo created waves by taking an unconventional route to the NBA. He decided to play in Australian NBL for Illarawa, where he averaged 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.
Ball has many draft boards projecting him as the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and already has an extensive following from his Facebook show and Big Baller Brand dealings. It is no surprise that brands would be looking to partner with the young star. Adam Petrick, Global Director of Brand and Marketing at PUMA said, “We are thrilled to add him to our roster of talented athletes and at just 19 years old, we can’t wait to see his impact on the broader culture surrounding basketball.”
PUMA is expected to work with Ball to create products that incorporate its culture-first approach. A project that was spring-boarded when PUMA made Jay-Z a creative consultant when the brand relaunched.
PUMA and LaMelo’s theme of their partnership will be titled “Not from Here,” which plays to LaMelo’s approach to uniqueness and individuality. In addition, the partnership includes various giveback programs that would involve clothing donations, skill camps for the youth, court refurbishments and more.
PUMA currently has 2018 NBA Draft No. 1 Pick DeAndre Ayton, Michael Porter Jr, RJ Barrett, Marvin Bagley and 2020 NBA Champion Kyle Kuzma, among others on its roster of young talent.