Rashad McCants Wants to Wear Big Baller Brand Shoes in Big3
Former NBA shooting guard Rashad McCants is planning to wear Lonzo Ball's signature shoe, the ZO2, when he takes part in the inaugural season of the Big3, a three-on-three basketball league.
Jack Maloney of CBS Sports passed along comments McCants made Friday about LaVar Ball's aggressive push of the Big Baller Brand during an appearance on the Big3Show.
"Sometimes it rubs people the wrong way when you come out as strong as LaVar did, as convicted as he was and passionate, it rubs people the wrong way," he said. "And I salute him, and I'm going to be wearing those ZO2's when BIG3 starts and I'm going to be supporting him full strength."
Marc Tracy of the New York Times noted the Ball family met resistance after announcing Lonzo's first shoe, which he later said only took "3 to 4 hours" to create, would be priced at $495.
LaVar responded to the criticism on social media:
Meanwhile, McCants applauded Ball and his son for doing something different rather than immediately signing with one of the major apparel companies.
"I believe in entrepreneurship, I believe in breaking the mold, I believe in challenging the status quo and I think that that's what he's doing," he told the Big3Show. "He's opening up a whole new lane for everyone to really realize that you can do your own thing. You don't have to go sign with Nike. You don't have to go sign with Under Armour. You can build your own shoe and wear your own shoe."
It's unclear whether the ZO2 shoes will be available to McCants in time, though.
The 2017 Big3 season is scheduled to kick off June 25 at the Barclays Center in New York City. The debut campaign will run through Aug. 26, when the first championship game will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Alas, Andrew Joseph of USA Today noted Lonzo wasn't even able to wear his own shoes during his pre-draft workout with the Los Angeles Lakers because they weren't available yet. November was listed as the potential shipping date for those who purchased the shoes when they were announced in May.
It's unknown whether the Big Baller Brand will be able to push up the timeline for McCants and any other interested members of the Big3 league. If not, it would be a failed marketing opportunity.
