Among the many critics of the price point for Lonzo Ball's newly unveiled signature sneaker is NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, who offered his thoughts on Twitter moments ago.
O'Neal, who sells his Dunkman brand sneakers at stores like Wal-Mart and Payless for as little as $12, took a shot at the $495 Big Baller Brand ZO2—a family-financed creation that could scale up even higher in price depending on the buyer's shoe size.
Hey @Lavarbigballer real big baller brands don't over charge kids for shoes. pic.twitter.com/N2U0VPXXyt
O'Neal famously split with Reebok in 1998, instead focusing on producing more affordable sneakers for children. His Reebok Shaq Attaq retro that released earlier this year retails for $160.
While the jokes on social media are flying, the general consensus is that the ZO2 isn't a terrible first effort, but the price is a definite deal breaker for most. LaVar Ball's vision is commendable—young athletes owning their brand and product from the jump is a potential game-changer, but there's still some things to figure out in terms of producing products that can realistically be purchased by most people.
