
Stage Mother is a well-known term in Hollywood and on Broadway.
But if you need to find a Stage Father, you need look no farther than LaVar Ball.
Ball is the outspoken, brazen and shoot-from-the-lip dad to Lonzo Ball (seen here), who is expected to be a top-two overall pick in the NBA Draft on June 22.
LaVar has
been vocal in national media about how his 19-year-old son is already better than Michael Jordan and better than Stephen Curry.
He told Nike, Adidas and Under Armour the asking
price for a shoe deal with Lonzo would be $1 billion.
When they rejected the offer, LaVar released Lonzo signature shoes under his Big Baller Brand, retailing for $495.
Now, Lonzo gets to roast LaVar in a new campaign from Foot Locker that celebrates both Father’s Day and the NBA Draft.
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The premise of “Father’s
Day,” according to Foot Locker: “No player makes it to Draft Night on his own. For Father’s Day, we asked a few of this year’s top prospects to reflect on everything their Dads
have done to support them on their journey.”
De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum and Jonathan Isaac recall fond memories with their respective dads —
“One-on-one games in the driveway that he let me win . . . Never missing a game . . . Waking up early to drive to tournaments . . . Fishing.”
But when Lonzo gets his
turn, the humorous spot takes an unexpected turn.
“There’s that day when your dad berates your high school coach in front of the entire crowd for not giving you enough
touches,” Ball says of his father.
“Shouting back and forth on [ESPN’s] ‘First Take’ with Stephen A. Smith about how you’re already better
than the reigning MVP,” Ball continues. “When he copy-writes your name to make it part of a family lifestyle brand ... “
The spot, part of Foot Locker's "Approved"
platform, breaks today and will air nationally, including on ESPN during the live broadcast of the 2017 NBA Draft.
Support includes Internet, social media and POP. Lead agency is
BBDO NY.
"Foot Locker has heritage in basketball culture and the NBA Draft. We are proud to have made a tradition of working with top athletes to have fun with some of the
biggest sports moments and trending news," says Stacy Cunningham, vp-brand marketing and services for Foot Locker North America.
In the spot, Fox, Isaac and Tatum are each wearing
gear from Foot Locker's top brands, including items from Nike, Jordan and Adidas.
Ball is seen in a T-shirt with text, "Born in Springfield, Raised in LA" from new lifestyle brand
Raised, which will be available in select Foot Locker stores and on Footlocker.com later this summer.