LaMelo Ball – Source: David Jensen / Getty
Big Baller Brand co-founder Alan Foster is back with more drama for the Ball family, this time naming LaMelo Ball, Lavar Ball, and Puma in a $200 million lawsuit.
Years ago, Bill Baller Brand founder Lavar Ball told the world that his sons would be forces in the NBA and boasted that his youngest, LaMelo Ball, would be the biggest.
In 2020 LaMelo was drafted third and went on to become the face of the Charlotte Hornets before releasing his successful MB1 sneakers with Puma.
Now according to TMZ, the footwear is the focus of a new lawsuit against Ball by the man who cofounded Big Baller Brand alongside the NBA player’s dad.
In a $200 million lawsuit, Alan Foster claims that LaMelo, his parents, and Puma finessed him out of “hundreds of millions of dollars” in their business dealings and alleges that he created the MB1 sneaker name when LaMelo was still a teen.
“He knew that his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was called the ‘MB1’ and that the name was protected by federal trademark,” reads the lawsuit per TMZ. “Yet, despite his knowledge of all of this, LaMelo willfully and deliberately chose to name the signature shoe he created and designed with PUMA the ‘MB1’ in violation of the LaMelo Trademarks.
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This isn’t the first time that Alan Foster has taken legal action against the Ball family. In 2019, Foster filed a civil lawsuit against his former business partner, Lavar Ball, alleging that he embezzled $2.5 million from their company.
“LaVar is a liar who fraudulently utilized BBB and BSG to fund his personal lifestyle,” the court filings obtained by Bleacher Report read.
Lavar fired back however and alleged that Foster had a criminal history of fraud and had been stealing since day one.
Cassius reports that Foster was also sued by Lonzo Ball that year for $1.5 million after he had access to the eldest brother’s personal and business finances.
This latest lawsuit is a bold move from Foster considering his history with the Ball family, but if he does own the MB1 trademark he might have a case.
