Puma Basketball has taken the next major step in reviving its brand, signing presumptive NBA Draft lottery pick LaMelo Ball to a long-term deal.
The 19-year-old LaMelo, the youngest of the infamous Ball brother trio — eldest Lonzo plays for the New Orleans Pelicans and middle brother LiAngelo is in the G League — is the first to sign an endorsement deal outside of their father LaVar’s Big Baller Brand.
Puma began growing its basketball footprint ahead of the 2018 NBA Draft after a two-decade hiatus, signing No. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Kyle Kuzma, and Michael Porter Jr. The company initially brought on Jay-Z as president of Puma Basketball, later modifying that to “creative director.”