LaMelo Ball now has a signature sneaker that costs far too much money, and he may be ineligible under NCAA rules when it is time for him to go to college. He is the youngest of the Ball boys, and there could be a change before he gets that far. However, the rules are the rules. There have been people suspended for much more paltry things than making a few hundred dollars on your name. If Ed O'Bannon had to sue the NCAA to get paid for their use of his likeness, LaMelo Ball cannot make money on himself while playing. However, maybe he should.
Making money on yourself is not wrong
LaMelo should be able to have a signature shoe if that is what he wants to do. Not his dad. He should make that choice on his own. The issue I have with all of this is that their dad jumps out in front, acts like a fool, and gets pats on the back. Taking care of your kids is not something to be commended for. You are supposed to do that already. Acting like a jerk in the media and calling out everyone left and right is pathetic. Besmirching great players is sad, and releasing these shoes without doing any research is simply dumb.
Blame the dad
If we want someone to blame, it has to be the dad. The dad is the one who is in control of the business, and the dad is the one who is deciding how to flood the market with these shoes.
The dad is the one who keeps talking to the media, and the kids are the ones who have to suffer. LaMelo is a child. He is still in High School, but he is going to be the biggest story in high school recruiting because teams will have to find out if the NCAA will even clear him. I can see a scenario in which he is, but I do not think that should be the case.
The standards are skewed
If the NCAA is willing to allow LaMelo Ball to play while practically owning a shoe company, then we have to wonder how they apply their standards. I would argue that they are all about the money, and they have proven that many times over. I could image someone coming out of the woodwork who was denied a transfer because they were not the moneymaker, and they would have a compelling argument against the NCAA.
The NCAA is inviting criticism, and they would look even more silly than LaVar Ball, who is not even running his business with any sort of foresight at all. True, I am talking about it, but that is only because I think he is a sexist, prejudiced clown. I would prefer to see the rules applied fairly or changed altogether because this is far too much drama for College Basketball.
