LaVar Ball launched his Big Baller Brand back in 2016, but he still has no intention of taking it public. On the latest episode of The LaVar Ball Show, LaVar explained why he intends for BBB to remain private despite him potentially becoming a billionaire if it goes public.
“Everybody was like, ‘Hey, Big Baller, do your thing and go public,'” LaVar said. “I said, ‘No, I ain’t doing that.’ [They said], ‘Oh man, you could make billions. You’re not listening.’ I’m not doing that on the fact that I don’t want to. I understand I can be a billionaire overnight if I go public and this and that. And oh, you can have 51%, they can have 49%, they never vote you out, Lavar, and this and that.”
LaVar has heard all about how investors can be brought in, but he doesn’t want them. He believes not having anyone to answer to is why BBB is a success.
“The brand is good because I’m not in the red and I don’t have no investors,” LaVar said. “… I got a basketball shoe I sell. I got a motorcycle jacket, I ain’t even got a motorcycle. But I can. I got water. I got a hot sauce. I got to show you my rims and tires downstairs, man. But I have everything because I don’t have to answer to no one.”
LaVar claims most businesses make money from just one industry. He has tapped into multiple industries to the point that BBB even sells water.
“This is how you know your brand is good,” LaVar said. “I can take a $3 shirt and put triple B’s on it. Now it’s a $60 shirt. That’s when you know your brand is good. Just by putting your brand on there, it’s like a hundred times what it’s worth. It’s still a t-shirt. It’s still a hat. But the brand, people have to get behind it. I don’t see why people wouldn’t get behind family and brand if we produce that where people can see from the outside.
“And I’m not just going for anything,” LaVar continued. “If they offer me $2 billion tomorrow for triple B’s, I’ll be like, ‘No, I’m cool.’… And folks will be like, ‘You stupid, LaVar.'”
That’s a bold claim. You doubt anyone will offer $2 billion for BBB, though. LaVar’s eldest son Lonzo Ball thinks his injury issues were down to his wearing BBB shoes early in his NBA career. His youngest son LaMelo Ball has never worn them in the NBA. Granted, shoes are only one part of BBB, but it’s not a good sign.
This is far from the first time that LaVar has thrown these numbers around, though. Back in 2017, he told USA Today that giants like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour would have to fork out $1 billion for a combined shoe deal for his three sons. He later upped that number to $3 billion. To nobody’s surprise, no such offer was ever made.
