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Oct 17, 2024Lonzo Ball played in an NBA game last night. I just wanted to type those words out in that order. It has been over 2.5 years since Ball last played in January 2022.
Ball's long road to recovery has been gut-wrenching for fans of the once-promising player. The 26-year-old underwent various knee surgeries and rehabilitations to finally find his way back onto the basketball court.
Last night, he scored an efficient 10 points in 15 minutes during the Chicago Bulls' 125-123 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. With all eyes on Ball's lower body, he trusted Kobe Bryant's Nike sneakers to keep him secure.
In his first game back, Ball wore the Nike Kobe 5 Protro in the 'Alternate Bruce Lee' colorway. It was not a shocking choice as Ball is a fan of Bryant's retro sneakers, and that specific colorway lends itself to the Bulls' uniforms. Also, Ball wore the exact same kicks when last played in 2022.
The Nike Kobe 5 Protro 'Alternate Bruce Lee' officially launched in limited numbers in December 2020 for $180 in adult sizes. The performance basketball shoes now have an average resale price of $710 on the sneaker resale platform StockX.
When the Los Angeles Lakers selected Ball with the second overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, the promising rookie bet on himself by wearing his family-owned Big Baller Brand shoes on the basketball court.
Of course, the poor quality of the shoes quickly became apparent. Ball would later laugh about the shoes ripping during games. However, the Lakers blamed the shoes for Ball's injury problems. Ball would eventually ditch Big Baller Brand shoes and wear Nike Kobe sneakers on the hardwood.
We have come a long way from Ball trying to disrupt the sneaker industry and join the Lakers greats with retired jersey numbers. But hopefully, Ball can enjoy a healthy season and get his career back on track.
As a Southern California native and fan of Bryant, Ball will likely wear a strong rotation of Nike Kobe sneakers throughout the season. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NBA and beyond.
Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at [email protected].
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