You not the BOSS of BIG BALLER BRAND!!!
At least that is what LaVar is telling the NCAA. This will be really interesting because this is family owned and operated, so I am not sure if the NCAA has ever dealt with anything like this before.
It isn’t like a booster or agent, this is his dad.
“He’s going to have a shoe,” LaVar said Saturday night during his son’s 16th birthday party, held at an event space at the Chino Airport. “NCAA ain’t going to tell me s—. Because they’re not my boss. That’s what they do, but they’re not going to be like, ‘Oh, LaVar, you can’t bring that shoe out until we tell you.’ What? Something that I’m doing for my family? That’s mine? I’m not under no umbrella.”
“They’re not going to tell me what I can do for my son and my family. He’s not even in the NCAA, and that’s the first thing they’re coming up with instead of saying, ‘Oh, that’s a nice shoe. Your dad just gave a shoe to him, a signature shoe that he can play in that’s to his specifications.’ They’re not looking at that part. They’re looking at, ‘How can we make it negative?’ By saying, ‘Oh, he’s got to be ineligible for that. Gotta be.’ No, it never happened before, so what are you saying?”
The NCAA is already plotting against LaMelo.
In a statement regarding the matter, the NCAA on Thursday told ESPN’s Darren Rovell, “Generally speaking, a college athlete or prospect paid for use of their athletics reputation or ability risks their future eligibility in that sport.”
“This includes profiting from the sale of items bearing the young person’s name,” NCAA spokesperson Emily James told Rovell. “NCAA rules, however, do allow prospects to promote commercial products prior to enrollment, provided it is not for pay.”
Well the sneakers cost $395 so they are definitely for pay.
This will be very interesting to see how this plays out in a couple of years.
Flip the page for video of LaMelo coming to his 16th birthday party in a Lambo…