5 Things We Learned From Sneaker Shopping With the Ball Family

Here's everything we learned about the Ball family in our new episode of Sneaker Shopping.

Some of you might be developing some LaVar Ball fatigue, but he's not going away any time soon. The father of NBA prospect Lonzo Ball is making aggressive moves to shake up the sneaker game, and though he has become a controversial figure due to some wild comments the last few months, people want to know what his next move will be, even if it involves more shenanigans.

We wanted to make sure we got the inside scoop from LaVar and the Ball family ourselves, so Complex invited the whole crew to join us on the latest episode of Sneaker Shopping. Here are a few things we took away from our time with LaVar and Lonzo.

LaVar doesn't think the ZO2 is for everyone

Lonzo Ball's signature shoe turned out a lot better than most people expected, with even some critics sharing props on the shoe's design. It was the price that turned backlash onto the family, with the $495 tag becoming a meme the instant it hit social media.

LaVar says they're sticking by the expensive tag, and that there's still room in the sneaker market for lots of other options. "Don't go to Rolls Royce talking about you need a Toyota," he joked about the ZO2. He also stressed not to stretch your budget too thin just to buy a pair of sneakers.

"If you've got a shoe that costs $500 and you've got rent, don't be a fool and go out there and get those shoes. There's shoes for everybody," he said.

Lonzo created the ZO2 sneakers without any help

LaVar told us you can thank Lonzo and Lonzo alone for the look of the ZO2, which he said his son created without any help.

"Everything on that shoe," said LaVar, "Lonzo created with no team. Just the creativity of a 19-year-old that knows what he likes."

For once, it feels like LaVar is actually selling his son a little short. If Lonzo is responsible for the ZO2 without any outside help, that's a damn good first attempt from a teenager, particularly one whose background isn't in art design.

Lonzo designed his signature sneaker in three to four hours

Maybe just as impressive as the design is how fast Lonzo was able to cook it up. "Designing it didn't take too long. Took about three, four hours," said Lonzo, after his dad played the hype man for his son's creativity.

No big deal, just a teenager casually drawing up a $495 sneaker with little help in his spare time.

LaVar Ball isn't worried about the sales of the ZO2 sneaker

Although you'd have to imagine the Ball family would love for their first signature sneaker to sell well, LaVar claims that's not at the front of his mind. As much as anything, he claims the ZO2 is meant to stand for something, and not necessarily be sold in mass quantities like competitors.

"I'm not obsessed with the sales," said LaVar. "Zo's shoe is symbolic."

LaVar Ball puts Lonzo into the same category as Kanye West when it comes to selling sneakers

Hot take alert—LaVar has already compared his sons to some of the biggest names in basketball, and he's back to do it again when it comes to selling sneakers. He thinks Lonzo has a chance to be up there with Kanye West at the top of the sneaker industry.

"They say Lonzo has to do something before they go buy his shoe," said LaVar. "Did Kanye slam dunk or crossover for that shoe to come out?"