Basketball players Lonzo, LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball are set to sign with Jay Z’s Roc Nation, with a representative saying the resolution to move the trio to the sports management company came as a result of a family decision.
The Ball brothers join a cast of other stars under Roc Nation, an offshoot of Jay Z’s music empire founded in 2013.
NBA acolytes represented by Roc Nation include the likes of Kyrie Irving, Markelle Fultz and Spencer Dinwiddie. Raymond Brothers will be the primary agent overseeing the Ball brothers.
LaMelo’s agent, former NBA player Jermaine Jackson, told ESPN; “We talked to several agents, but the family had good vibes with Roc Nation.”
“I’ve known Jay-Z since I played for the Knicks, but this is what the kids wanted to do. Jay-Z is a master at what he does. He’s global. It’s power beyond power.
“This is something that they are building from the ground up together. They are brothers and they love each other and that’s how they roll. It’s all love. They don’t separate from each other.”
Roc Nation will now be in charge of prospective marketing deals for the Ball brothers, including a sneaker deal for LaMalo, a potential 2020 NBA draft pick.
While Jay Z is the current creative director of PUMA basketball, Jackson said all options for a lucrative shoe deal for LaMelo were still on the table.
“He’s still wide open,” Jackson said. “He hasn’t signed with anyone. Everyone is kicking in the door. Melo is open to whatever. With this pandemic going on, we don’t know what things are going to look like.”
Regarded as one of basketball’s finest prospects and possibly a No. 1 draft pick, LaMelo is already in training in hope of making a mark in what would be his rookie season.
“Right now Melo is focused on the weight room and working on his game training with Lavar. His father is doing a phenomenal job. He already put seven pounds of muscle on him. He’s working out with Lonzo and Gelo trying to get ready for whatever comes next. He’s grown half an inch in the last few months.”
The Ball brothers’ father, LaVar, has a great influence on their careers and valuation on and off the court. In the past he has claimed that Big Baller Brand, built off the prodigious talent of his three sons, is a potential billion dollar imprint.
