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Source: MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Getty

The Big Baller Brand is going away as quickly and as weirdly as it came to life amid reports that Lavar Ball’s business partner stole $1.5 million from the company.

Back in 2017, with Lonzo Ball getting drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, the Ball family started Big Baller Brand (BBB) in lieu of having Lonzo sign on with one of the major sneaker brands. BBB gave Lonzo a signature sneaker for his rookie season and sold them at $500 a piece.

While the brand drew criticism for the price point, the family did something for themselves that should have been applauded for its bravery. BBB became somewhat of a cult brand for Lonzo and Lakers fans, and was seemingly successful enough to produce sneakers for Lonzo’s second year in the league.

However, a report came out earlier this month that suggested that the company was in shambles and distancing itself from business partner and co-founder of BBB, Alan Foster, because he reportedly took $1.5 million in cash from the company.

In the days following the report, there were rumors of talks about shutting down BBB, and Lonzo, who owned 51 percent of the company, has since covered up his BBB tattoo with a pair of dice:

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1110912684747313152/photo/1

Lonzo isn’t the only one trying to distance himself from the brand on social media. His manager also posted a video of himself throwing away a pair of BBB shoes on Instagram Stories.

It’s been a wild ride for Ball with BBB, but it’s probably a good thing that he moves away from the brand considering his injury history. Even if he doesn’t immediately sign an endorsement deal, playing in either Nike or Adidas—companies who have put in decades of work to try and protect the feet and ankles of elite athletes—should help cut down on the number of ankle issues that Ball has moving forward.