Lonzo Ball and his family’s Big Baller Brand released his first signature shoe for a ridiculous price of $495, and Chad Johnson suggested he supported the brand by buying a pair.
On Thursday, Lonzo Ball released his first signature shoe through his family’s Big Baller Brand, and the world roasted the footwear for its $495 price tag, assuming no one would ever buy a pair.
Enter Chad Johnson. The ex-NFL star formerly known as Ochocinco posted on Instagram that he had purchased a pair of the ridiculously-priced shoes to support the 19-year-old.
To be fair, Johnson seems to have bought the middle ground as far as pricing goes, as there is an autographed edition that comes in a key-locked glass box with a mirror in the floor, illuminated by LED bulbs. That pair is being sold for $400 more at $995.
“We don’t hesitate to support high end brands & their prices don’t hesitate to support those building from the ground up,” Johnson wrote as a caption on the screenshot of his order.
The release on Thursday came after the Ball family failed at getting the 19-year-old signed by bigger name companies like Nike, Under Armour, and adidas. Social media roasted the young athlete, who has yet to even step foot on an NBA court as he prepares for the NBA Draft in a few weeks.
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As of now, the model the Ball family is using is working. While many teams and companies are staying away from signing the highly-hyped and ever-talkative Ball family, some are cashing in on the opportunity. Between Johnson buying a pair of the young man’s shoes, or the Los Angeles Lakers feeling “enamored” by the former UCLA star, people are taking notice.
The biggest piece now is wondering if the man behind the Z02 shoe will achieve the level of success necessary on the big stage.