Standout NBA prospect LaMelo Ball has signed a long-term deal with PUMA. The sportswear brand made the official announcement today, roughly one month before the 2020 NBA Draft, as Ball is projected to be one of the first three picks.

“I am really excited to be joining the PUMA family,” said Ball. “I believe the brand is the perfect partner for me because PUMA will allow me to just be myself. I want to be 100-percent authentic whether that’s playing basketball or showing off my personal style and that’s what I want to do with PUMA.”

The younger brother of the New Orleans Pelicans' Lonzo Ball and LiAngelo Ball of Oklahoma City's NBA G League team, LaMelo will be a PUMA brand ambassador both on and off the court. The partnership will include signature products, as Ball works closely with the brand to blur the lines between sports, culture, music, and fashion.

"PUMA and LaMelo’s approach to their partnership will fall under the 'Not from Here' creative concept, which LaMelo came up with himself to represent his 'one of one' attitude," PUMA stated in a press release.

“I don’t know what normal is. I personally chose a different path to achieve my success because that defines who I am,” Ball added. “I know some people think I am mysterious or ‘not from here,’ and I might have to agree. I am someone who likes to be different and consider myself to be one of one. That’s the message I want to share in my upcoming projects with PUMA.”

The initial LaMelo x PUMA product will be a T-shirt and hoodie set, scheduled to arrive on November 18 in conjunction with this year's NBA Draft. Be sure to stay tuned to see what else PUMA and LaMelo Ball have in store.

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