[Saba Sports News] Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball is embroiled in a $200 million lawsuit, filed by Alan Foster, co-founder of Big Baller Brand. Foster alleges that LaMelo, along with his parents LaVar and Tina Ball, and PUMA, infringed on his design for the ‘MB1’ sneakers, launched in December 2021. Foster claims that LaMelo, aware of the trademarked ‘MB1’ design from his time with Big Baller Brand, still chose to use the same name for his PUMA shoe line, violating the trademark.
The lawsuit states that the original shoe design was conceived when LaMelo was a teenager, around the time Foster and Big Baller Brand secured trademarks for the product. However, the relationship between Foster and the Ball family deteriorated in 2019, leading to severed business ties. Despite this, LaMelo’s team reportedly used Foster’s trademark for their debut shoe with Puma, resulting in the current lawsuit.
This legal battle is not the first conflict between the Balls and Foster. In 2019, Lonzo Ball accused Foster of embezzling over $1.5 million from Big Baller Brand. Allegations of threats and Foster’s past involvement in a Ponzi scheme also surfaced during this dispute.
Since then, Big Baller Brand’s prominence in the basketball world has waned, with Lonzo focusing on other brands and LaMelo partnering with Puma. The ongoing legal issues continue to keep Big Baller Brand in the headlines.
Amidst this legal challenge, LaMelo faces a critical period in his career. Already showing potential with the Hornets, he is expected to further develop his skills as a scorer and playmaker. LaMelo’s performance this season, averaging 19.6 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds per game, is closely watched, as he strives to fulfill the expectations of a top lottery pick and lead the Hornets to success.